asked the Minister for Lands if he will make whatever arrangements are necessary to allow Bord na Móna to plant trees on areas of bog which they have cut away, in view of the fact that the Board have the supervisory staff and machinery available and that such a scheme would provide continuity of employment for the workers who are now laid off at the end of the turf-cutting season.

The question of the afforestation of cutaway bog has been the subject of active consideration by my Department for some time but the position is still under discussion with Bord na Móna.