Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position in relation to the Coillte review that was a separate component of the Forestry review, being conducted by his Department in 2010, in relation to informing and drafting the new Forestry Bill. [6911/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I wish to advise that the purpose of the proposed Forestry Bill is to reform and update the legislative framework relating to forestry in order to support the development of a modern forestry sector, which enshrines the principles of sustainable forest management (SFM) and protection of the environment and is not intended to deal specifically with Coillte. The current legislative framework regulating forestry activities is as provided in the Forestry Act 1946 as amended. The current legislation specifically governing Coillte is the Forestry Act, 1988 as amended.

The review of Coillte, to which the Deputy refers, was undertaken on foot of a commitment in the previous Government’s Renewed Programme for Government. While significant work was undertaken by an interdepartmental group dealing exclusively with the role, functions and operations of Coillte, the deliberations were superseded by the Government Decisions in 2012 in relation to the sale of state assets which encompasses Coillte.