asked the Minister for Lands if he will state the total acreage of land in County Wicklow available for forestry purposes.

The total area of County Wicklow forests as at 31st March, 1955, was 47,828 acres.

I would like to ask the Minister if he would keep in mind the importance of not encroaching too much on some of the better marginal land in the Wicklow mountains. There is considerable concern on the part of the sheep farmers and as the Wicklow store sheep are as important as the Shorthorn cow and their popularity is gaining all over the country it would be a pity if sufficient store sheep were not available.