Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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694. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 190 of 29 June 2016 to outline the evidence of an increase in risk levels associated with instructors providing chainsaw courses other than those who are qualified Coillte Teoranta instructors; the statistics and data supporting these claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21111/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Coillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the assessment of risks associated with courses taking place on their land, are the responsibility of the company.

Coillte has, however, confirmed that one of the main reasons for Coillte’s decision not to facilitate requests from private training companies/instructors to provide chainsaw training on their estate is the uncertainty around the accreditation of those performing the training. They further advise that there is a significant inherent risk associated with having novice chainsaw users being trained by private instructors on their land. The increased insurance and health and safety risk also significantly reduces the commercial viability of this business case. The information supporting these assessed risks is an operational matter for Coillte.