Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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433. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if Coillte can offer lands for sale, particularly wind farm lands; the process for such sales; the person who would authorise such sales; if he is required to sign off on or give permission for such sales; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29529/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Coillte was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the management of their forest estate and land transactions, are the responsibility of the company.

The matter was raised with Coillte who advise that Coillte can offer lands, including wind farm lands, for sale and that all sales were approved by the Asset Disposal Committee. They further added that the process followed is in accordance with the requirements of the Forestry Act and the provisions of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and in particular the provisions relating to Property Acquisition and Disposal of Surplus Property.

Although I am not required to sign off on individual sales, Coillte as a State owned body, is subject to the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. The Code of Practice outlines certain procedures that should be followed in relation to the Disposal of State Assets, the company’s compliance with which is affirmed to me annually by the Chairman of Coillte.