Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 April 2022
908. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of private sector and Coillte felling licences, respectively that have been issued on a weekly basis to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17636/22]
View answer909. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of private sector forest and Coillte forest road licences, respectively that have been issued on a weekly basis to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17637/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 908 and 909 together.
The Department 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.
This year, in the Forestry Licencing Plan, we have committed to increasing our output to 3,360 felling licences. These are 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.
Regarding road licences the number issued in 2021 was 671 in respect of 264 kilometres which is double the target in the Climate Action Plan 2021. In the 2022 Plan, we have committed to 820 road licences to be issued. This is a 27% increase on the number of road licences issued in 2021.
Along with Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, 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
The table below shows licences issued to 25 March, 2022
|
- |
Licences Issued (25 Mar) |
|
Forest Roads |
182 |
|
Tree Felling |
866 |
|
Total |
1,048 |
The table below shows the weekly breakdown during 2022 of private felling and roads along with Coillte felling and roads.
|
Week ending |
Private Fell |
Coillte Fell |
Private Road |
Coillte Road |
|
07/01/2022 |
16 |
0 |
7 |
5 |
|
14/01/2022 |
51 |
28 |
7 |
11 |
|
21/01/2022 |
45 |
50 |
10 |
20 |
|
28/01/2022 |
26 |
51 |
11 |
4 |
|
04/02/2022 |
35 |
50 |
5 |
8 |
|
11/02/2022 |
35 |
51 |
1 |
8 |
|
18/02/2022 |
33 |
51 |
1 |
2 |
|
25/02/2022 |
29 |
50 |
5 |
3 |
|
04/03/2022 |
16 |
50 |
13 |
6 |
|
11/03/2022 |
29 |
50 |
12 |
1 |
|
18/03/2022 |
16 |
30 |
7 |
4 |
|
25/03/2022 |
25 |
50 |
16 |
15 |
|
Total |
356 |
511 |
95 |
87 |
Output on private felling licences is 85% on target for this stage of the year while output on roads is 95% on target.
