Local TD, Deputy Matt Carthy has called on the Minister for Agriculture to instruct Coillte to stall the purchase of forest lands until there has been adequate Dáil and public engagement.
The Cavan/Monaghan Sinn Fein TD said this latest debacle to hit the sector must not be "isolated" from what he describes as "the absolute disaster in forestry overseen and compounded by this Government".
Deputy Carthy also pointed to issue that has arisen with the suspension of forestry licences due to complications with the EU over Ireland's policy.
He says there is an onus on the Government to hit afforestation targets of 8,000ha per annum so the country can meet its climate action obligations.
Deputy Carthy added that the Government and Coillte are engaging in an act that will ultimately see "a massive sell-off of state lands to foreign private investors".
"Minister McConalogue has stated that Coillte did not need his approval to proceed with this venture. But, Coillte is a state-owned company and Minister McConalogue is the shareholder.
"He can and he should instruct Coillte to stall the venture at least until there has been adequate Dáil engagement on the proposal and until all stakeholders have had an opportunity to have their concerns addressed.
"The Minister cannot wash his hands of this venture. I, and other opposition TDs raised concerns about the prospect of such a deal in the Dáil last November.
"In December, the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee engaged with Coillte on this issue and, despite the fact that Coillte representatives refused to answer questions on the specifics, it was clear to any observer that such a deal was imminent," he added.
