Coillte involved in joint venture land grab, Harkin claims 

Sligo Leitrim Independent TD Marian Harkin has described as a ‘land grab’, plans by Coillte to enter into a joint venture arrangement with international private investment funds to support the purchase and planting of more than 50,000ha of land. She also said it will bring about the equivalent of a cull in the suckler herd and herald the arrival of an avalanche of outside forestry investors planting in the northwest. 

“This proposed partnership between Coillte and the UK-based Gresham House will drive more and more farmers off marginal land, particularly in the northwest, west, southwest and parts of the midlands.  This land grab, financed by very significant grant aid and single farm payments where there are entitlements on the land, will push prices way beyond the reach of active local farmers,” the Deputy said.

“The steady trickle of outside investors planting parts of the northwest will become an avalanche as it is proposed that approximately 250,000 acres of forestry will be managed by Coillte, but 50% of it will be owned by Gresham House and 50% by an Irish entity.  There will be no need to cull the suckler herd,” Ms Harkin continued, “these proposals will go a long way to achieve that.” 

The Deputy said these latest developments, along with some of the latest proposals from the EU Commission, will have a profound impact on productive agriculture in the northwest, “Between the EU proposal on re-wetting organic soils and Coillte’s plans, we are looking at up to one million acres of land being rendered unavailable for agricultural production, tearing the heart and soul out of many communities, especially in the northwest and west,” she concluded.