asked the Minister for Lands if, instead of selling felled trees to outside firms, he will consider utilising the sawmill at Dundrum, County Tipperary, for the purpose of cutting timber into boards or scantlings or other shapes as required.

The sawmill at Dundrum, County Tipperary, operated by my Department is used continuously for the conversion of timber from State forest lands into sawn materials to meet customers' requirements and is in full production all the time. Its round timber is drawn from all State forests within reasonable haulage distance of the mill and all mature timber of good commercial quality in the surrounding forests is needed for the mill. No such timber will be sold in the locality. This does not apply to thinnings.

Seeing that 16 men, who have dependents, are being discharged, would it not be better to employ them in the utilisation of this timber, cutting it into poles and scaffolding, instead of having outside firms coming in to take it away?

That is not the case. We are not selling any mature timber. We are merely selling the thinnings. The mill is employed to full capacity all the time.