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Forestry Management

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 March 2021

Wednesday, 31 March 2021

Questions (1284, 1285, 1286, 1287)

Michael Lowry

Question:

1284. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the interim standards for felling and reforestation October 2019 were converted to actual standards; when the industry was notified of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17302/21]

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Michael Lowry

Question:

1285. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of submissions that were received by his Department during the consultation period on the interim standards for felling and reforestation October 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17303/21]

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Michael Lowry

Question:

1286. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of submissions received by his Department on the interim standards for felling and reforestation October 2019 during the consultation period that pointed out impracticalities and operational impossibilities and unrealistic requirements in the standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17304/21]

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Michael Lowry

Question:

1287. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department take notice or regard of the submissions received during the consultation period in relation to the interim standards for felling and reforestation October 2019 which appear to have been converted to actual standards following a consultation period; the way this notice or regard was translated into the standards that now prevail; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17305/21]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1284 to 1287, inclusive, together.

New interim ‘Standards for Felling and Reforestation’ were circulated in October 2019. These Standards immediately replaced measures relating to felling set out in the existing standards ‘Forest Harvesting & the Environment Guidelines (2000)’. The ‘Standards for Felling and Reforestation’ from October 2019 is still the current document today.

This new standards document sets out the standards that apply to all felling (thinning and clearfelling) and reforestation projects on all sites throughout Ireland, undertaken under a felling licence issued by the Department under the Forestry Regulations, 2017 (S.I. No. 191/2017).

When released in October 2019, comments on the document were sought from stakeholders and I understand 10 submissions were received. Some the comments suggested textual changes to improve the practical implementation of various measures set out in the document.

The stated intention at the time was that the consultation submissions would be considered and a revised version of the document would issue in due course. This unfortunately did not happen due to pressure of work and to date the document has not been revised to take account of the comments received.

The Department is committed to updating this document and the Mackinnon Report has made specific recommendations on the review of these types of standards and documents. Under the Implementation of the Project Woodland plan, the updating of Forest Standard documents is a key deliverable for consideration by one of the Working Groups. It will now be considered in this context.

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