Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 May 2026
399. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total annual revenue generated by Coillte in each of the years 2020 to 2025, broken down by timber production, land transactions, renewable energy partnerships, and other commercial activities; and whether his Department has assessed the balance between commercial return and delivery of national climate and biodiversity objectives. [33484/26]
View answer400. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated cost to the State, whether direct or indirect, of increasing the proportion of Coillte lands managed for biodiversity from 20% to 30% and the projected cost of achieving the long-term target of 50%; and the funding sources identified to support this transition. [33485/26]
View answer404. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current breakdown of land managed by Coillte by category, including commercial forestry, land managed primarily for biodiversity, recreational use, and other uses; and whether this breakdown is reviewed annually at Departmental level. [33489/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 399, 400 and 404 together.
Coillte was established as a commercial state company with private limited status under the Forestry Act, 1988, to become custodian and manager of the national forest estate. The company is currently managing 440,000 hectares of land (7% of the total area of the Republic of Ireland), and its day-to-day operations, such as the management of land use types within the estate, preparation of financial statements, and management of costs are a matter for the company.
Relevant legislation and the Code of Practice for Governance of State Bodies 2016 require the annual report including the audited financial statements of Coillte to be noted by Government and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.
I have directed the specific questions raised to Coillte for direct reply to the Deputy.
