merrion street

Shane McEntee TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for Forestry, launched the ‘Forestry & Timber Yearbook 2012’, published by the Irish Timber Growers Association (ITGA).

Welcoming the publication of the yearbook, Minister of State McEntee commented that the ITGA Yearbook remains one of the most important sources of information and reference for those working in the forestry sector and added "The ‘Forestry & Timber Yearbook 2012’ is not only focussed on those actually working in the forestry sector but includes a range of useful statistics and articles of general interest and serves to increase people’s awareness of the extent of the forest sector, its outputs and issues."

The Minister of State also commented that he was pleased that the Forest Service of his Department had been in a position to support the production of the Yearbook again this year as the Yearbook is a highly regarded, professionally produced publication, which provides comprehensive information and a useful directory to the forestry sector. He noted that "Over the years, the Yearbook has provided up-to-date, practical information on forestry establishment, management advice and best practice to forest owners and has assisted the Department in highlighting threats to our national forest resource such as disease and fire. I am glad to see that the 2012 edition has been expanded further and is also being distributed to bookshops around the country for, I believe, the first time in many years, thereby making it more accessible and visible to the general public."

Launching the ‘Forestry and Timber Yearbook 2012’, Minister of State McEntee concluded by saying that he looked forward to continuing working with the ITGA, and other elements within the forestry industry generally, to develop a strong forestry sector that can continue to make a strong contribution to the country’s economic recovery and well-being into the future.