Vol. 448 No. 1
94 Mr. Hyland asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the steps, if any, his Department has taken in conjunction with the Department of Social Welfare to pursue the initiative taken by his predecessor on recommendation of ESRI to establish two pilot areas to explore the possibility of a co-ordinated approach between both Departments to job creation in the forest industry. [1626/95]
The recommendation in question was contained in an ESRI report published in May 1993. In the intervening period there has been a number of developments, most notably significant increases in the levels of forestry premiums payable to farmers, a continued upward trend in farmer planting and the commencement of work by my Department, with the assistance of consultants, on a strategic plan for the development of the forestry sector. Work on this plan places specific emphasis on the creation of sustainable employment; a balance of regional benefit from forestry in Ireland; the assessment of the potential for forestry to make a greater contribution to economic and social wellbeing, and the identification of impediments to realising that potential. I expect the consultants assisting in this task to present their formal report shortly and anticipate that the strategic plan will be completed within the next few months.
Against this background, I will, in due course, be better able to assess what joint initiatives with other colleagues in Government might be desirable in terms of securing the greatest possible overall benefit from the substantial ongoing investment being made in our forestry sector.
