asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if he will make available in the whole country the same level of grant-aid for forestry development as is available in the 12 western counties.

The grant levels payable in western counties reflect the special provisions of the EC western package scheme. While an extension of these grant levels to the rest of the country is not practicable, the separate planting grants scheme applicable to counties outside the western package area is being examined to see whether some improvements would be feasible.