Sir, - I refer to Donal P. Whelan's letter from the Irish Timber Growers' Association (August 14th) on the subject of Kevin Myers's article (July 26th) and John Donnelly's subsequent response (August 5th). I wish to point out that, contrary to Mr Whelan's assertions, the Irish Farmers' Association agrees with the ESRI's basic view that forestry could play a positive role in helping to sustain rural communities.
In fact, IFA is fully in favour of farmer forestry and sees it as one of the most viable alternative enterprises, which can make a very significant contribution to rural development. Forestry will benefit a local community if the people living in that community are the beneficiaries of the annual compensation premium, and not some absentee landlord. The IFA has been calling on the Government for a balanced approach to planting land, one that recognises all land use needs so that forestry and mainstream farming work well together.
What is totally unacceptable is the way in which forestry is foisted on rural communities in an unplanned and uncontrolled manner. The fact is that in many areas small and medium sized farmers, who badly need additional land, are finding that land is being bought up by Coillte and corporate investors in private deals, without their knowledge.
Firstly, the IFA therefore demands that notice of intent to plant would be a condition of planting grant eligibility under the forestry programme. This would mean that neighbouring farmers would be notified where land was intended for forestry, to afford them the opportunity to negotiate the purchase of part of the land before it is permanently removed from agriculture.
The second problem is that the Government has effectively given a dominant position in the land market in some parts of the country to Coillte and private investors, by providing them with annual premiums for planting. This has distorted competition between different land uses and is making farmers totally uncompetitive in the purchase of land.
The IFA therefore wants the Minister to remove the annual compensation premium from Coillte and corporate investors. These premiums should be redirected to farmers, to encourage them to greater participation in the EU forestry programme. - Yours, etc.,
Chairman,
Farm Forestry Section, IFA, Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell,
Dublin 12.