Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Last week I and other members spoke about the concern at the price of land being driven up by the inequality of foresters and farmers trying to compete with investment funds. I do not know which of the Coillte representatives said a while ago that it would not be a problem. Even if land is scarce, this is an investment fund that has shareholders who will not care whether they have to take on the foresters or the small farmers. It will drive up the price of land so it can do the forestry it has committed to Coillte that it will do. It will not care about the small man in Mayo, Tipperary, Cork or any place else. Its aim is to make money for its investors. If that is at the expense of the foresters or the small farmers who have kept our industry going, make no mistake about it, it will not think twice about it.