asked the Minister for Lands what progress has been made to date towards the establishment of a forestry centre in the Cloonfad area, County Roscommon.

The present position is that the sale is about to be closed in the case of one offer of 38 acres in the Cloonfad district and agreement on price has been reached in respect of another offer of 22 acres. Three further offers totalling 118 acres are under consideration.

It is well time.

So says the Irish Press.

So said the people in the area.

No. They contradicted that.

asked the Minister for Lands if he will state the cause of the delay in establishing a forestry centre on the cutaway bog at Ardenew, Longwood, Meath, and when work will commence.

Purchase of an area of 108 acres at Tobertynan, Ardenew, has now been completed and possession will be taken in the near future. Three other offers in the district totalling 86 acres are now under consideration. I cannot state the exact date when work will commence.

asked the Minister for Lands whether he is aware that lands are available for afforestation purposes at Gortheen and Castlequin, Cahirciveen, and, if so, if he will arrange for the purchase of these lands at an early date.

My Department recently received an offer of 46 acres of land for afforestation purposes in the townland of Castlequin, Cahirciveen, County Kerry, and arrangements are being made for the inspection of the land at an early date. This is the only offer received so far from the area, but if further offers are forthcoming my Department will be only too glad to give them every consideration.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that an area of 400 acres is being offered by a man named Denis O'Shea, of Killogrove, Cahirciveen, and an area of 200 acres by a man named Edward Dowling? I would ask that that area of land would be inspected with a view to establishing a forestry centre in that district, similar to the forestry centre that the Department established in Glencar.

There is no such information available to me, but I am quite sure that if the Deputy were to give that information to the Minister the Minister would be only too glad to work on it.