asked the Minister for Energy if his attention has been drawn to the fact that it has been the practice of Bord na Móna to purchase cattle and fatten them on cutaway bogs; and if it is his intention to discontinue this practice because of his stated policy of planting trees on cutaway bogs in Counties Kildare, Laois and Offaly.

All Bord na Móna cutaway bogs which are suitable for afforestation are being handed over to the Forestry Service of my Department.

The grassland experiments which have been carried out with adverse financial results on certain tracts will be the subject of final analysis in the very near future with a view to ascertaining the optimum use of these lands. Bord na Móna have already decided that no further conversion to grassland will take place in the meantime.