Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 April 2022
919. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the percentage of Coillte felling licences issued out of the total number felling licences issued since 1 January 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17747/22]
View answer928. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason that his Department is consistently processing more Coillte felling licences than private sector felling licences each week since 1 January 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17808/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 919 and 928 together.
Along with Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, it is my aim to deliver a licensing system which meets the needs of all those who apply for forestry licences.
This is regardless of whether that application comes from a private individual who wishes to plant trees, a forest owner who wishes to fell their crop, or Coillte who wishes to supply sawmills with product from their estate. Each licence has a value particularly to the rural economy where the timber is harvested, transported and processed.
Since the commencement of 2022 up until the 25 March, 2022 my Department has issued a total number of 867 felling licences of those 59% were Coillte licences. We are 85% on target for private felling licences at this stage of the year, and we are fully committed to delivering the full 1,830 private licences by year end as outlined in the Licensing Plan.
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.
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
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).
