Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way he will ensure that amenity areas within our forests are protected following privatisation of our forests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4502/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

With reference to the Government decision, in the context of the asset disposal programme, that a concession for the harvesting rights to Coillte’s forests be put forward for sale, substantial work has been undertaken to date on the identification of the forestry assets involved, the determination of their value and the consideration of a number of issues associated with the proposed sale of the harvesting rights. Public access to recreational land is one of the issues so identified which requires detailed consideration. The outcome of the overall analysis will be considered by the Government upon its conclusion and no decision has been taken, as yet. I wish to assure the Deputy that any sale will take account of public access to recreational land and associated amenity areas.