One of the complaints about job creation in forestry is that most of the downstream jobs are based in traditional forest areas such as Wicklow, Munster and around the Slieve Blooms where major nurseries, timber processors and harvesting companies are located.

Up until the mid-1970s, few large-scale timber processors were located in the west, but this trend has changed dramatically in recent years as timber production from west of Ireland forests has increased significantly. The Murray Timber Group in Ballygar led the way in 1977, while ECC Teo was established in Corr na Mona in 1992. These two international-scale family -owned mills were followed by Masonite in 1997, the recognised global brand for door panels based in Carrick on Shannon.

Forestry in the west of Ireland is now attracting downstream industries and jobs, which is expected especially in a county such as Leitrim which now has 17% forest cover compared with the national average of 11%.

The number of jobs created by the forestry and forest products sector in Leitrim is 337 reaching 437 when indirect jobs are added (Table 1). Indirect jobs represent approximately 30% of total direct employment and includes services, supports and materials such as paint manufacture in the case of Masonite.