Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 March 2022
218. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department issued 70 more licences to Coillte than to the private sector for February 2022; if this trend will continue in March 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15195/22]
View answerThe Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine issued 2,877 felling licences last year which represented more than 8 million cubic metres of timber. This was the highest ever output licensed in volume terms in a single year.
Last year, Coillte received 53% of felling licences and the other 47% going to the private sector. Coillte currently supply around 75% of sawlog to sawmills.
This year, we have committed to increasing our output to 3,360 felling licences, broken down between 1,530 Coillte felling licences which will be the same as their 2021 figure and 1,830 private felling licences which will represent a 36% increase on 2021 and we intend to deliver on these commitments. All details are outlined in our Licensing Plan, found at www.gov.ie/en/publication/forestry-policy-and-strategy/#forestry-licensing-plan-2022.
