Midland’s-based environmental group, Just Forests, welcomes the announcement by the Labour Party to retain Coillte forests in public ownership.

The Swiss State broadcaster sftv, has produced a short news item about the sale of Irelands forests covering all the angles. The report was made while they were in Ireland to cover the Irish election: they became aware of the issue and in particular the fact that Bertie Ahern was chairman of a Swiss owned company interested in buying Irelands forests.
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Govt claims forest worth more 50% than they are to justify sell off. Bertie Ahern is facilitating this
Public may lose rights of access?
The government is planning to sell off our national forests which are currently owned by Coillte. The plan would be to sell harvesting rights on 500,000 acres out of 1.2 million that they manage. They claim it is worth €700 million although in the Peter Bacon report on Forestry, he puts the true value at €360 million or the equivalent of 3 days of government expenditure. Bacon said: "economic rationale for the proposed sale of harvesting rights no longer stands up and cannot be justified." and that he further concluded it would actually cost the state €1,300 million to sell the harvesting rights of Coillte due to various liabilities. The report says that the forests should be developed further as a public resource.

Just Forests NEW Wood of Life travelling exhibition on the importance of timber/forests in the fight against Climate Change is being launched this evening, Tuesday 11th January at European Union House, 18 Dawson Street, Dublin 2 at 6.30pm. Its is being launched by Duncan Stewart.