236 Mr. Blaney asked the Minister for Energy whether the matters of renewable energy and forestry figure prominently in the planned list of priorities he hopes to deal with during our Presidency of the EC.

A commission proposal (THERMIE Programme) which will give support for energy demonstration projects including renewable sources of energy, is under discussion at present. It is an important programme in so far as Ireland is concerned and I will be making efforts to have it adopted during Ireland's Presidency of the EC.

As far as forestry is concerned the position is that the council adopted a comprehensive Forestry Action Programme in June 1989; further measures will not be required over the next six months.