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THE AGRICULTURE MINISTER has said Coillte’s deal with British investment fund Gresham House is “not the government’s preferred option” for its forestry strategy but that it will support the semi-state in its plan.
It involves the purchase of land from private landowners, including both planted and unplanted land, to increase forestry cover.
But it has been roundly condemned by opposition parties and some government TDs.
It has been described as a “land grab” by some, while also receiving criticism from forestry groups and farmers organisations.
Speaking this morning, Minister Charlie McConalogue argued that due to strict rules on state aid, Coillte had to explore options for private investment and one of these was the arrangement it has come to with Greshsam House.
“Myself and Minister (Pippa) Hackett have met with them to discuss that it is not our preferred option from a government point of view as to how we would enable Coillte to contribute to forestry investment,” he told RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland.
But he added: “We will now engage directly to see how state can support Coillte and work with farmers to do that.”
He said the strategy has the advantage of putting “family farmers at the centre of it, gives farmer longer premia than non-farmers”, to make forestry a more attractive option.
“We’re working very closely with them and we’ll be looking at every way we can support them from a state point of view, but also also support them in terms of they can work directly with farmers,” the Donegal TD added.
Currently forest cover in Ireland is 11.6% compared to an EU average of 40%.
It is part of the Government’s national afforestation target of planting 8,000 hectares per annum with the long-term target 18% forest cover.
One forestry group opposing the deal, the Woodland League, said there is “no clarity” as to how it will achieve the 50-50 mix of native woodland and commercial forestry as proposed.
It said it will also see a “public funds grab” which will only benefit overseas investors, with Coillte acting as a “sub-contractor with no tangible benefits to the Irish people, farmers or nature”.
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Fecking hate cancer.
If you can dodge cancer you can dodge a dodgeball
Maybe spending too much time with Fran Stalinovskovichdavidovitchsky, the most dangerous women on the planet
Good news. I like him. His movies make me and the kids laugh.
A PSA (prostate specific antigen) test is a simple blood test. All men over the age of 50 should have one regularly. They can do great things now if they get it early enough. Well done Mr Stiller.
@Deborah Behan: So you don’t need a finger up your bum anymore? Happy days.
Deborah the problem with PSA testing is that normal levels don’t always exclude cancer and elevated levels don’t always mean cancer. This is highlighted in the article. Thus it is not conclusive if all men should be screened because it leads to a lot of testing, some of which is invasive, and many of these tests will be completed on people that don’t turn out to have prostate cancer. Hence the best advice is included in the article, ie from age 50 discuss with doctor. This is all complicated by the fact that prostrate cancer is quite common, and in many cases slow growing. Indeed most men with prorate cancer do not die from it.
Never rated him much as an actor but he’s to be commended for fighting this and making it public.
Always liked his movies a lot. Great news
Get that finger up yer bum early gents!
@Barton Hobbes: A doctors or E.T’s. as the blood test would be more reliable?
I heard that in men that the risk of getting this cancer is the same as your age, so someone 31 has a 31% chance of getting it and a man of 62 has a 62% chance of getting it, I do not know if this is 100% fact but interesting. It is believed taking a daily amount of zinc can help prevent this cancer but another one to look into?
What
“I heard that…”
“It is believed…”
Excellent scientific research!
Apparently pleasuring yourself prevents male prostate cancer.
I wonder was this caused by the time he zipped up his pants the wrong way?
I like him! Check out ‘Permanent Midnight’
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