Social Partner calls for forests to remain in public hands

Social Partner calls for forests to remain in public hands   Dublin - 6th December, 2010. The Environmental Pillar of Social Partnership has warned that Ireland's forests are in danger of being sold off to reduce government debt, and is calling for them to remain in public hands. The group is urging the Government to issue a statement that it will not privatise Ireland's forest assets. "A sale of Irish Forests would not be in the best interests of the Irish public or their environment," said Michael Ewing, a spokesperson for the Pillar. "We have already seen oil, gas, and mineral rights sold off, impoverishing the nation on many levels."   Coillte (the Irish Forestry Board) manages over one million acres of forestry land on behalf of the Irish People. It was one of a number of agencies selected for possible privatisation by the McCarthy Report. In January of this year the International Forestry fund, chaired by Bertie Ahern TD expressed an interest in buying Coillte. The Pillar is strongly opposed to the sale of state forests covering an area twice the size of County Meath. It also has serious reservations about the involvement of a company chaired by a former Taoiseach who was privy to the appointment of Coillte directors and was responsible for some of the decisions that have brought us to the point of selling off such valuable assets.   The overall aim of the  Environmental Pillar is to find a new direction for forest policy in Ireland that balances environmental, social and economical needs. It is claimed that getting this balance correct will provide more employment opportunities at community level as well as addressing problems such as flooding, soil erosion, and biodiversity loss.   "Now more than ever we need to make the wisest use of our public forestry resources in order to create jobs and economic growth, with minimal investment," concluded Mr Ewing.   # # #   Please feel free to contact Danny Walsh, Communications Officer, Environmental Pillar of Social Partnership at danny@ien.ie for details or to arrange interviews with representatives of the Environmental Pillar.       Danny Walsh Communications Officer Environmental Pillar of Social Partnership 1 Green Street, Dublin 7, Ireland. http://www.environmentalpillar.ie Email: danny@ien.ie Tel: 01 878 0116 / 01 878 0115