Forestry Promotion and Investment
Mac Giolla asks whether the Minister will promote forestry as a profitable crop and protect forestry investment from departmental cutbacks. O’Toole accepts that the message has not yet reached enough people, says publicity is planned, and says forestry has not been subject to cutbacks.
May I appeal to all Deputies to conform to Standing Orders by asking questions and refrain from making speeches? That is a reasonable request. Deputy Mac Giolla.
Comment on this
I agree entirely with what the Minister said in his reply, but has he endeavoured to get this point across by propoganda? It may not be sufficiently understood that forestry is a very good cash crop and I do not think the Minister has successfully got this across. Does he have many plans to do that? My second question relates to money being made available. Is the Minister pushing the fact in Cabinet that this is a capital investment in forestry and should not be considered——
Comment on this
——part of the cutbacks in his Department? This is an important employment and capital investment——
Comment on this
I accept that I have not been successful in getting the message across, but not for want of trying and I will continue to try. Plans are now in train to sell the idea through publicity later this year. I am not prepared to comment on what I press for in Cabinet, except to say that in relation to forestry. I have not been subjected to cutbacks.