Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 January 2023
1778. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of hectares of afforestation applied for in each year since 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63773/22]
View answer1781. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of hectares of afforestation licensed by his Department; the total number of hectares of Coillte felling licences that have been licensed by his Department in each of the years since 2015, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63776/22]
View answer1797. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the weekly average number of afforestation licences issued for 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63795/22]
View answer1799. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the delivery of forestry licence targets in 2022 for both Coillte and the private forestry sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63810/22]
View answer1804. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of afforestation licences that have been issued during the term of the Government; the number of afforestation licences currently in the backlog; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63822/22]
View answer1814. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of Coillte felling licences issued during the term of the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63970/22]
View answer1815. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the weekly average number of Coillte felling licences issued in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63971/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1778, 1781, 1797, 1799, 1804, 1814 and 1815 together.
I am pleased to advise that the output in forestry licensing in 2022 means that we have seen considerable reductions in the backlog of forestry licences, reductions in the time taken to process newer files, and a year-on-year increase in the number of licences issued.
With reference to afforestation licences, my Department was just short of the projected amount of 1,040 afforestation licences issued. The weekly average of afforestation licences issued in 2022 was 13.3. licences. I acknowledge that this was 68% of the end of year target, but still is significantly up on 2021. As of 6th January 2023, there are 277 afforestation files designated as in backlog and we are continue to process these as a matter of priority.
During the term of the Government, to 13th January 2023, we have issued 1,452 afforestation licences. There are now 1,000 approved afforestation contracts with over 7,000 ha ready for planting. These applicants have all been written to explain they now have the opportunity to plant under The Interim Afforestation Scheme ( via De Minimis) or to transition into the new Forestry Programme 2023- 2027 when it launches.
I am acutely aware of the afforestation target of 8,000 hectares per year set out in the Climate Action Plan and the fact that afforestation rates have been declining in recent years. We hope that the new Forestry Programme will re-engage landowners, farmers in particular, and realise the land-use change needed.
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.
In 2022, we committed to increasing our output to 3,360 felling licences, broken down between 1,530 Coillte felling licences and 1,830 private felling licences and we achieved 98% of that commitment.
The number of Coillte felling licences issued during the term of this government to date (27th June 2020 to 13th January 2023) is 3,749 licences.
|
2023 (to 13th January) |
50 |
|
2022 |
1,686 |
|
2021 |
1,529 |
|
2020 (27th June 2020 to 31st December 2020 |
484 |
Information on the number of afforestation applications made each year since 2015 can be found in section 3 Afforestation of my Department's annual report "Forest Statistics Ireland 2022" here: gov.ie/en/collection/15b56-forest-statistics-and-mapping.
Information on the total number of hectares of afforestation licensed by my Department and the total number of hectares of Coillte felling licences that have been licensed by my Department in each of the years since 2015 is set out below:
|
|
Coillte licences issues |
Afforestation licences issued |
|
Year |
Area (Ha) |
Area (Ha) |
|
2022 |
23,838 |
4,972 |
|
2021 |
12,421 |
2,016 |
|
2020 |
7,197 |
2,434 |
|
2019 |
46,724 |
3,550 |
|
2018 |
20,347 |
4,025 |
|
2017 |
18,179 |
5,536 |
|
2016 |
8,514 |
6,500 |
|
2015 |
8,999 |
6,293 |
In the interest of full transparency, details of all licences issued by category are available on my Department's weekly dashboard. This is published on the Departmental website and is made available to all interested parties, as well as being submitted to the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine each week.
