Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 April 2022
910. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications for private felling licences that remain to be approved by his Department which were received in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17658/22]
View answer911. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications for Coillte felling licences that remain to be approved by his Department which were received in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17659/22]
View answer912. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of private sector tree felling licences that his Department need to process on a weekly basis from now until the end of December 2022 to ensure that all applications currently lodged with his Department are approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17660/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 910, 911 and 912 together.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has, through Project Woodland, established a definition of the backlog, which is any licence application on hand for over 120 days.
As the table below shows as of the 25th March 2022, there are 836 Coillte felling files with the Department more than 120 days, while there are 1,481 private felling applications with my Department for more than 120 days.
|
Total to 25 March 2022 |
<=120 days |
=121 days-6 mths |
7-12 months |
>=13 months |
|
|
Private Felling |
1,882 |
401 |
265 |
407 |
809 |
|
Coillte Felling |
836 |
0 |
314 |
0 |
522 |
Using this 120 days as the definition of the backlog, the backlog of applications has reduced by 29% since the end of August 2021, which is a significant reduction in the number of applications awaiting decision.
Below is an annual breakdown of felling licence applications between private and Coillte felling.
|
Private felling |
Coillte felling |
|
|
2017 |
1 |
0 |
|
2018 |
40 |
0 |
|
2019 |
288 |
2 |
|
2020 |
341 |
0 |
|
2021 |
905 |
834 |
|
To 25/03/2022 |
307 |
0 |
|
Total |
1,882 |
836 |
Our plans for licence issue in 2022 are contained in the Forestry Licensing Plan with a target of 5,250 licences issues, which is a year-on-year increase of 30%. This includes an increase of 36% in private felling licences to 1,830, while Coillte felling licences at 1,530 will maintain the levels they achieved in 2021. The Licensing Plan 2022 may be found here gov.ie - Forestry Licensing Plan 2022 (www.gov.ie). Under the Plan priority will be given to applications predating 2021 and we have committed to dealing with all felling licence applications predating 2021 by the end of the second quarter this year.
