Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2020
869. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has carried out any analysis on the potential for job losses in the forestry industry given the current crisis in the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24750/20]
View answer870. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has carried out an analysis on the impact of the current licensing backlog on afforestation rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24762/20]
View answer871. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action taken and efforts being made to address the current crisis in the forestry industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24774/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 869, 870 and 871 together.
My Department is intensively engaging with all relevant stakeholders on these issues. The current licensing difficulties are as a result of the changes made to internal Appropriate Assessment Procedures (AAP). These were introduced in response to important Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) decisions and their subsequent interpretation by the Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC) and others. These findings meant that in order to grant licences which fully meet environmental requirements, fundamental changes to the licensing system were unavoidable.
There are also delays associated with the appeals process. The Deputy will be aware of the recent public consultation on a draft Bill to amend the Agriculture Appeals Act, 2010. While no formal analysis of the potential for job losses has taken place, I know from engagement with stakeholders and from the submissions received that the current difficulties could have serious impact on jobs in the sector. The Government is committed to reform of the planning and appeals processes as set out in the Programme for Government and we have published draft legislation to this effect which will be presented to the Seanad this week
My Department has a detailed project plan in place for dealing with the current backlog and new applications, which includes significant investment in extra resources required to deliver the plan. These resources are a combination of additional ecologists, forestry inspectors and administrative staff where required.
A Project Management Board, with a dedicated Project Manager, is overseeing and monitoring delivery. There will be a continuous review of the process, in order to effect efficiencies. A communication plan to keep stakeholders fully and regularly informed of progress, with a dedicated central resource to deal with queries, is a key element of the project. This plan is already yielding progress with felling licences issued in August the highest in the previous 13 months in both volume and area.
In tandem with this plan a draft amendment to the Agriculture Appeals Act, 2001 is being introduced which aims to increase efficiencies in the appeals process. I very much welcome the almost 9,000 submissions on the Bill which have informed the updated version of the Bill which I am presenting to the Seanad this week.
While the licensing delays are affecting the timber being felled and transported to sawmills, I am aware that it is also influencing afforestation rates. To date, my Department has paid for the establishment of 1,916ha of new afforestation, which is down by 37% on this time last year.
I know that the current situation is challenging, but it is a temporary disruption which, when resolved, will make for a better, more sustainable and fit-for-purpose forestry licensing system for many years to come.
