Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 March 2021
272. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications for afforestation that have been submitted into the Forest Service that are still waiting for approval; the number of hectares this equals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13803/21]
View answerForestry will play an important role in meeting our environmental objectives under the Climate Action Plan and, in terms of biodiversity, as outlined in the Programme for Government. It is for this reason my Department will be focusing on afforestation applications in the coming weeks. I am mindful of the seasonality associated with afforestation and, therefore, while other forestry licence types will continue to issue, afforestation will be the priority.
Forestry licences continue to be received and issued daily. To 5th March, the area covered by issued afforestation licences was 903ha. There are currently 1,500 applications within my Department’s system, covering 9,600ha, which are at various stages of processing, from the initial application steps, to ready for decision.
In addition, there is another 4,500ha already approved and available to plant. It is up to landowners to decide to plant, once they have received approval to do so, but I would encourage anyone that has approval to arrange financial approval, which is a straightforward process completed by their registered forester and to commence planting.
I recently announced Project Woodland on foot of receiving the Jo O'Hara report and I have moved immediately to implement this. I am confident that the changes presented in there to processes both within my Department and the independent Forestry Appeals Committee, will bear fruit, particularly to give confidence to applicants and potential applicants, that they can receive a timely decision on their afforestation application.
