Coillte robs farmer of his tractor

cork | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Saturday January 27, 2007 19:39

by Coillte Reporter

The following is another account of Coillte bullying at Nowen Hill, Dunmanway, Co. Cork. Coillte now are in dispute with three parties at this site.

In 2001, Seamus O Sullivan, Droumsullivan, Bantry, Co Cork (086/2364655), was carrying out works with his Ford County tractor, with attached winch, on behalf of a company at Nowen Hill, Dunmanway, Co. Cork, who have land leased from Coillte at this location.

On leaving the leased site, and while on route through the Coillte track, (right of way to leased site), leading to the public roadway, Seamus’s tractor developed a puncture in one of it’s wheels. Seamus parked the tractor, off the Coillte (forest) track, and planned to come back for it later. (It is important to say, at this stage, that the number plates of the tractor were attached to the tractor, when Seamus parked it).

Some days later, Seamus returned to find that his tractor was missing. Seamus contacted the Forester, Mr Richard Delahunty (086/2301517), who told him that agents of Coillte, giving Seamus the contact details, removed his tractor. Seamus contacted the Coillte agents who told him that they removed the tractor on Mr. Delahunty’s instructions. Seamus’s tractor was in perfect working order and in no way would appear to be abandoned.

Surprised by Mr. Delahunty’s previous instructions to remove the tractor, the Coillte agents again rang Mr. Delahunty from the site to confirm their instructions, as in their opinion, the tractor appeared too good to be taken away as scrap. Again Mr. Delahunty confirmed that it should be removed, so they started the tractor, drove it up onto a lorry and took it away. The agents informed Seamus that the tractor was crushed and exported as scrap. Seamus later recovered the winch, which was attached to the tractor, at the agent’s premises.

Seamus then informed the Garda in Bantry of this, who directed him to Dunmanway Garda Station. Some time later, Garda Fehily, Bantry, and Seamus visited the area from where the tractor was taken. On examination of the area, Garda Fehily discovered both tractor number plates, down behind a bank, where the tractor had been parked. Garda Fehily took the number plates to Bantry Garda Station.
It must be noted, that on request from Seamus at a later date, at Bantry Garda Station, these number plates “ could not be found”.

Seamus, not knowing about the FSC Conflict Resolution Mechanism, issued legal proceedings against Coillte to recover his tractor. A stiff reply came from Coillte to the effect that if he said anymore about the matter, they (Coillte), would sue him for the cost of removing the tractor from the wood. To date, Coillte have not settled their dispute with Seamus O Sullivan.

In conclusion.
Coillte are engaged in a number of conflicts with different people at this location for the past 4 to 5 years. These people were not aware of the FSC principles, nor did Coillte or anybody else make them aware of them. The various conflict situations have had a huge affect on the people involved. Huge financial costs have been incurred, and relationships have been seriously damaged. It must be said, that Coillte have seriously damaged the social fabric of this community, and have put huge pressures on the local people unnecessarily. I believe, that all the issues could have been sorted out, if the principles of the FSC had been implemented, but instead Coillte opted to go down the bullying and scaring road.

Related site: http://www.fsc-uk.org/about/principles/