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Coillte "Stealth Privatisation"
 national |
environment |
press release
 Monday May 24, 2010 08:53 by Andrew St Ledger - The Woodland League
The Woodland League accuses Coillte of 'stealth privatisation' of state forests
 Chevy Chase Tree Felling
The Woodland League, a not for profit non- governmental organisation, has publicly expressed its concern at what it claims is the 'stealth privatisation' by Coillte of state forest lands.
The Woodland League were responding to the latest financial statement issued by Coillte , The Irish Forestry Board. According to a spokesman for the Woodland League, Andrew St Ledger, Coillte sold 33 million euros worth of public forests to the IFUT and AIB Pension Trust in 2008/2009 in order to balance its books, as the state company continues to trade at a loss, concerning its main remit, forestry.
The Irish Forestry Unit Trust (IFUT) is a partnership comprising Coillte, AIB, and Irish Life.
St Ledger points to the recent clear felling by IFUT of a mature pine forest in Chevy Chase Forest in south Galway as an example of the privatisation by stealth that is occurring, and claims that the Trust is now actively seeking 'cash for trees'.
"Local people who use Chevy Chase as an amenity were astounded when the felling began as they assumed that these trees were exempt from such felling because of their amenity and wildlife value" says St Ledger. "They were even more surprised to discover the trees were owned by IFUT and were no longer part of the public forest estate".
“Some of the concerned locals contacted the Woodland League who then ascertained through the Forest Service, that the felling was being conducted using a five year old general felling license” he says. "This practice allows for the local Forestry Inspector to be bypassed, this is in effect a fast- track approach to felling, as it eliminates the need for a fresh environmental assessment of the site".
According to St Ledger, the Chevy Chase site was recommended to be restored to a native woodland habitat by the Forest Service in 2005 and is a special protection area for birds (SPA), highlighting its ecological value.
"Given that we are in the middle of Biodiversity Week when biodiversity awareness is being promoted by the State, communities adjacent to Coillte public forests need to be vigilant about the role of IFUT and other pension companies in ordering the felling of forests which traditionally have been understood to be public forests" says St Ledger. "
He said “ Unfortunately when it comes to regulation, Ireland has one of the worst records for environmental protection in the EU with the least amount of protected areas for biodiversity at 1.17% of total land area". Albania one of the poorest countries in the world still manages to protect 3.58% of its territory, source United Nations environment programme.”
ENDS
Woodland League www.woodlandleague.org
Facebook: The Woodland League
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/woodlandleague
Contact:
Andrew St Ledger, PRO The Woodland League
stledgerwood@gmail.com
087-9933157
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Comments (13 of 13)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13Any responce from the Green Party? Please share.
Take a look at this video- it gets better as it goes along :)
Bertie gets a mouthful on streets of Dublin.
Wicklow based Independent Cllr Pat Kavanagh has expressed grave concern regarding the press release from Woodland League which points to the stripping of forests and the inherent threats to biodiversity. "Questions need to be asked about the privatisation and management of State Forestry. Are we losing our children's heritage to Private Investment, most notably by the banks and pension companies? I am calling on Ministers Brendan Smith, Sean Connick and Ciaran Cuffe to assure the public that State forests and our renewable resources will not be used to bail out the banks, and that a management plan for State forests will include protection and enhancement of our biodiversity".
Cllr Pat Kavanagh is contactable at 0872771871
Cllr Kavanagh, perhaps you could bring a Parliamentary Question before the Dail and find out exactly what the Government stance is on this, seeing as you seem to be the only Politician we know of who takes any interest in what is happening with the out of control Coillte. Go raibh maith agat. This may help avert another looming crisis in this god forsaken country.
Tree Hugger, as an Independent Town Councillor, I have no access to the Dail. However, I have emailed every TD with those very questions. I have received only received one reply so far. Lets just see who has the courage to raise it.
In the meantime I will continue to highlight it wherever I can and raise it at my next Council meeting.
How can we make this more high profile? I hope this press release was sent to all the newspapers etc although that wouldnt guarantee it would get published I suppose, state media. Was it sent to Village Magazine? They are good at exposés. It would be good to get more documentary style videos on what Coillte have been up to as well. Do you do protests/demos?
Trying to highlight it wherever we can, please help to spread the word. Hoping to have a public meeting about it when we get the info out there. The press release was sent to all the media - lets see which of them have the courage to run with it
Over on the PoliticalWorld.ie forum, a similar discussion has been going on for over a month now. It's worth a look.
Coillte are an organisation which need to be investigated similar to the Dublin Docks Authority. If anyone questions any politicans about these semi state companies, they are told " The day to day running of these companies is a matter for the company, and the government dont get involved".
Thats ok, until we see what happened to the banks etc, in recent times.
Coillte have taken a man's living on Nowen Hill, without the facts of the case ever coming to the High Court, because the man involved would not be allowed an appeal of his case, and there was condiderable confusion in the Courts office as to when a Court order was made.
The legal system has failed this man, while Coillte walk away with his family business.
See related link.
Why has Coillte amassed a fortune in pension funds, while at the same time, havent paid a dividend to the State since Coillte were formed in 1988 ?.
Logged: complaint sparks Ahern forestry job probe
Ken Foxe, Public Affairs Correspondent
Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern was appointed chairman of the International Forestry Fund last year A COMPLAINT that former taoiseach Bertie Ahern failed to make a full declaration of his business interests is being investigated by the Houses of the Oireachtas.
A member of the public lodged a formal objection pointing out that Ahern had not declared his appointment as chairman of the International Forestry Fund in his official register of interests for 2009.
The complaint has been logged by the Oireachtas and has now been sent forward for investigation by a committee of five TDs.
A letter sent by Kieran Coughlan, the clerk of the Dáil, said: "Your complaint re an alleged contravention of Section 5 of the Ethics Act by Deputy Bertie Ahern, namely that he did not declare in the Register of Member's Interests for 2009 a business relationship with the International Forestry Fund in 2009, has been forwarded to the Committee of Member's Interests of Dáil éireann for their attention pursuant to Section 8 of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995." The complaint will be looked at by the committee, which is made up of five TDs: Noel Grealish, the former PD; Peter Kelly and Noel O'Flynn of Fianna Fáil; Padraic McCormack of Fine Gael and Labour's Jack Wall.
A second complaint by the same member of the public regarding the extent of Ahern's private work and also the payment of 'turning up' money for attending the Dáil was rejected. "I cannot assist you in the other matters you have raised," said Coughlan in response to the letter.
The investigation centres on Ahern's appointment as chairman of the International Forestry Fund, which was announced last year.
The original complaint, submitted by James Casey, with an address in Dublin 6, said: "Helvetia Wealth AG of Switzerland, an international finance company offering offshore banking to clients, are the main backers of the fund. Even though he did not take up the chairmanship until 1 January 2010, he clearly had a business relationship with the fund in 2009 and I consider it should have been disclosed in the 2009 Declaration of Members' interests for the sake of openness and transparency, especially considering the backer is involved in offshore banking, which is a controversial area. If there is one omission, could there be more?"
In response to enquiries from the Houses of the Oireachtas, Casey later wrote that it was clear the former taoiseach had a business relationship with the International Forestry Fund in 2009, when the decision to appoint him was made. He wrote: "It is surely obvious that prior to the official announcement in November 2009 there would have been communications and meetings between Deputy Ahern and/or his professional advisers and Helvetia Wealth to agree the terms of the appointment including his fees.
"Presumably some sort of agreement/ contract was drawn up. Deputy Ahern is not just a director – he is chairman. It is also possible that a payment was made to confirm Deputy Ahern's services."
May 30, 2010
Toxic Dump- no doubt will be explained away.
Standard Practice.
Good forest management means that mature trees are felled and the land re-planted.
Where do you think that wooden desk you are sitting in front of came from?