Laois Councillor calls on Coillte to provide cheap firewood

Councillors in Laois are to ask Coillte to consider supplying cheap logs to those facing fuel poverty in the county. 

Cllr Ollie Cooney put down a motion asking that: “Laois County Council request Coillte as to the possibility of them using dead trees as firewood and distributing it to those in need in County Laois.” 

For a lot of people, Cllr Cooney explained, “the oil tank will be left empty this year because they won’t be able to afford it.” He said Coillte has “a serious amount of trees, dead or knocked down and there is nothing happen.” 

He said these trees could be used by struggling families adding that, “they needn’t be free, they could be priced reasonable and Coillte should come off the fence here.” 

“We have these trees decaying and people in need of firewood, I think it is a disgrace if they don’t do something about this and do it soon,” said Cllr Cooney. He expressed his hope that Coillte would look favourably on the proposal.

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Cllr John King recalled a large tree falling in Rathdowney and the council cut it up and “we sold the wood at maybe €1 a bag.” 

Expressing his belief that it would benefit people, Cllr Padraig Fleming expressed his belief that it was a “great motion” and he said there are a lot of dead trees.  “There is a massive amount of timber to be got out there for free. There should be some system set up,” he stated. 

Cllr Conor Bergin agreed with the other councillors and said “people will be concerned over fuel costs with the rising costs in inflation.”