Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 444: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether Coillte is being managed in a sustainable way and not focusing too much on the sale of land for raising revenue to the detriment of other potentially profitable uses. [37050/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Coillte Teoranta was established as a private company under the Forestry Act, 1988, and its Board of Directors is collectively responsible for leading and directing the company's activities, including monitoring the activities and effectiveness of management.

In accordance with Section 39 of the Forestry Act, 1988, the bulk of the State's forestry estate was vested in Coillte upon its establishment. In the years following its establishment, the company acquired land for afforestation thereby increasing the estate. Since it's establishment, it has also sold lands, some of which was for infrastructural purposes. I understand that the properties sold are those considered by the company not to be of strategic importance to the company's forestry business and that the net effect is that the area of land currently being managed by Coillte is in excess of that vested in the company upon its establishment in 1989.

The company's performance, and the activities engaged in by the company, is outlined in the Coillte Annual Report 2010, which is accessible on the company's website. Copies are also available in the Oireachtas Library. As the Deputy will note, Coillte raises revenue from a number of sources; in addition to its core forestry business and the manufacture and export of panel products, the company is also engaged in the provision of telecommunications infrastructure and the renewable energy area.