Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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424. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the product know as pulp within the forestry industry will be made available at a commercial rate to the saw millers of the country and no longer exclusively directed to the Coillte board plants; his views on whether there would be a better return to the State if this product was transacted on an open and transparent basis, whereby all processors of our forestry, including Coillte, would have to bid for same rather than the current situation whereby Coillte directs pulp to its board plants without any cost to it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44174/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I understand that pulp wood is of a size that is not suited for conversion in sawmills and that the main uses of pulp wood in Ireland are in panel-board manufacture and as wood fuel.

Coillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the use and/or marketing of pulp wood from its forest estate, are the responsibility of the company. I understand that Coillte decides on a commercial basis the levels of pulp wood from its own forests which it sells on the open market and what proportion is used in its two board mills. I also understand that the company also sells a proportion of its pulp wood on the open market on a competitive basis. Coillte sells its larger, sawlog sized material, through auctions which are held on a fortnightly basis and where sawmills bid for roundwood lots. Sales of privately-owned pulp wood are transacted between the owners and a range of buyers, including Coillte.

Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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425. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that at a recent forestry industry event held in the UK an orientated strand board manufacturer (details supplied) was asking participants to sign a petition requesting that the pulp from Irish forests be made available to all in the industry and not only to Coilte's board plants; his views on whether Coilte's exclusive access to this product from our forests is an anti-competitive practice; if he will assure Dáil Éireann that there is no conflict with EU competition directives with regard to Coilte having sole use of this product; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44178/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My attention had not been drawn to such a petition. I understand that sales of pulp wood from private forests in Ireland are transacted on a market basis between buyer and seller and Coillte does not have exclusive access to pulp wood from the private sector. Coillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as decisions in relation to the use and marketing of pulp wood from its forest estate, are the responsibility of the company. An object of the company, as provided in the Forestry Act 1988, is to carry on the business of forestry and related activities on a commercial basis and in accordance with efficient silvicultural practices.