Madam, – Michael Conway (January 10th) wrote that “the International Forestry Fund may purchase the State forestry agency Coillte”. This is very alarming report which has, so far, not been denied by the Minister for Agriculture. The public should be aware that they have no legal right of access to these forests. We are totally dependent on the “grace and favour” of Coillte. There is no guarantee that such policy would continue if the forests were sold to a commercial forestry company – which IFF is. Quite the contrary, it most likely that the State forests would be closed to public access for walking and other recreational pursuits. These pursuits are of immense importance to our physical and mental health.
Keep Ireland Open calls on the Minister to make an immediate statement on the matter. – Yours, etc,