Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Tom Hayes, TD, with responsibility for forestry, has opened 'Talking Timber', a timber marketing event organised by Teagasc with the co-operation of the Irish timber industry, which was held in the Devon Inn Hotel, Templeglantine, Co. Limerick.

The purpose of the event was to provide an opportunity for forest owners, whose plantations are at, or approaching, thinning age, to find out more about the timber selling process and to make contact with timber buyers in their area. A second event will be held in the Lough Allen Hotel, Drumshanbo, Co Leitrim on Thursday 12 September 2013.

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The Minister said: "It is important for forest owners to realise that thinning, where appropriate, improves the end value and quality of a timber crop and managing the thinning process effectively can provide an additional income source and ultimately help to maximise timber production and therefore income for the forest owner at final felling stage.

"Timber mobilisation is a key challenge faced by the forestry sector in Ireland. It is essential that we encourage and facilitate getting the timber from privately owned forests onto the market."

(CD/JP)