Vol. 407 No. 9
60 Mr. M. Brennan asked the Minister for the Environment if, in view of the inconvenience and unease caused to many people by forestry development too near their houses, he will consider making all such developments by Coillte Teoranta subject to planning legislation.
Before 1 February 1990 the use of land for forestry did not require planning permission. The position was changed by regulations which I made to implement Directive 85/337/EEC on environmental impact assessment. Developers, including Coillte Teoranta, must now obtain planning permission for, inter alia, initial afforestation involving an area greater than 200 hectares. I have no proposals for further changes in the application of planning control to forestry development.
I understand that the Minister for Energy had decided that grant assistance from his Department for private forestry development will not be made available for planting within a distance of 30 metres from dwelling houses and associated buildings, and that Coillte Teoranta will be expected to adhere to this distance requirement in their planting.
