§ CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.)I leg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether it is Proposed to take any steps with a view to preserve the few woods and plantations still left standing in Ireland.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOB IRELAND (Mr. WALTER LONG, Bristol, S.)The Department of Agriculture are alive; to the importance of this question. They have caused special inquiries to be made, and have been in communication with the Estates Commissioners with a view to the utilisation of Section 4 (1) of the Act of 1903. The Department have themselves purchased, as trustees under this section, certain woods which will be utilised in connection with the Department's forestry station in county Wicklow. The Department's funds are not sufficient for any comprehensive scheme of forestry development, but facilities are being provided under the county agricultural and horticultural schemes for encouraging the planting of trees and the preservation of existing woods by occupiers.
§ CAPTAIN DONELANWill action be taken to prevent landlords from cutting down the timber on their estates when selling under the Land Purchase Act.
§ MR. WALTER LONGI have never heard of such a suggestion. I had better have notice.
§ MR. BOLAND (Kerry, S.)asked if the Government would give facilities to an association recently formed in Ireland to plant trees.
§ MR. WALTER LONGI must ask for notice of that also.