Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 March 2023
361. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details of the availability of private sector and Coillte logs for the processing sector in Ireland for 2023 and 2024; if he will outline the percentages of the total for each, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16014/23]
View answerThe COFORD Council who provide advice to my Department prepare periodically a range of indicative roundwood forecasts for forests in Ireland. The most recent forecast was published in 2021 and provides indicative figures for the period 2021 to 2040. This forecast is available to download from the COFORD website at the address www.COFORD.ie.
The COFORD forecast 2021-2040, table 5 provides the following figures for the potential supply of roundwood for a range of diameters from seven centimeters to over 20 centimeters for the private and Coillte estate. The larger diameters are generally more suitable for logs. Based on the table below the percentage of the private sector total supply from 7 cm to over 20 cm is approximately 46% for 2023 and 2024.
Table 5: Annual forecast of Net Realisable Volume ( 000 m3 overbark)
|
Year |
Private Sector(000m3) |
Coillte(000m3) |
||||||
|
Tip – 7 cm |
7-13 cm |
14-19 cm |
20 cm + |
Tip- 7 cm |
7-13 cm |
14-19 cm |
20 cm + |
|
|
2023 |
89 |
420 |
915 |
1,050 |
145 |
538 |
924 |
1,294 |
|
2024 |
82 |
387 |
895 |
1,125 |
145 |
538 |
924 |
1,294 |
It must be noted that the information presented in the forecast is indicative and does not in any way guarantee that this volume will be harvested in any particular year. The forecast is based on a number of assumptions and the actual volume harvested will depend on a wide range of factors. For example in some cases owners may decide not to harvest due to market conditions.
