Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 March 2021
254. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the forestry licensing backlog will be cleared with reference to a specific date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16131/21]
View answer256. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the efforts he is making to increase the issuing of private licences for afforestation, felling and forest roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16133/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 254 and 256 together.
I am aware of the issues facing the forestry sector and the timber industry and considerable efforts have been made to address them. Additional resources have been recruited and training, information and guidance has been provided to both Departmental staff and registered foresters and, as a result, we have seen gains in terms of output.
Nonetheless, we are not where we want to be, which is why the introduction of Project Woodland, recently launched by Minister of State Pippa Hackett, with responsibility for forestry, is so important. This new structure aims to ensure that the current backlog is addressed. The Project will involve a review and refresh of our processes and procedures and will include outside stakeholder participation to bring an independent perspective. It will be a task-driven process, with clear deliverable and milestones.
Working Group 1 under Project Woodland is specifically tasked with reducing the backlog and then plotting a trajectory to achieve this target. The recommendation in Ms Jo O'Hara's Implementation Report is that this Group publish a process to achieve these targets, including prioritisation and scheduling and that a monthly dashboard show the outcome of this process against the target trajectory.
I am confident that the changes presented under this structure to processes within my Department will bear fruit, particularly to give confidence to all applicants that they can receive a timely decision on their forestry licence application.
