Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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334. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in respect of lands that were formerly involved in the forestry services and are now in the control of Coillte, the number of locations; the amount of land in each case where his Department is still the registered owner of parts of these woodlands or forestry areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26328/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Coillte Teoranta was established under the Forestry Act, 1988. Section 39 of the Act provided inter aliathat all of the State's forest estate, other than land designated by the Minister, stand vested in the company.

The land designated by the Minister under the Forestry Act 1988 (Designated Land) Instrument, 1988 was accordingly retained by the Minister.  The retained lands consisted of c. 202 properties totalling c. 1,660 hectares.  In the interim, c. 47 of the retained properties, containing c.350 hectares, were sold by the Department.  However, following a re-evaluation of the retained properties, the Minister agreed, in 1993, to transfer c.134 properties containing c. 833 hectares to Coillte Teoranta and 12 properties containing c. 450 hectares to the National Parks and Wildlife Service.  Nine properties remain of the designated lands.

Notwithstanding the vesting of the bulk of the State’s forest estate in Coillte upon its establishment, a lot of the land may still be registered in the name of one of my predecessors e.g. Minister for Lands.  The area initially vested in the company was some 396,000 hectares so it would entail significant work for the company to provide the Deputy with the number of locations throughout the country and the amount of land in each case where one of my predecessors is still the registered owner of parts of these woodlands or forestry areas but which has actually been vested in, and is managed by, Coillte.  I understand that the number of properties involved could be some 6,500. Registration of the land in Coillte's name is a matter for the company.  I understand that the registration of the lands transferred to the company in 1993 is progressing.