Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 March 2023
360. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number and area of private sector tree felling licences lodged with his Department that are not yet approved, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16013/23]
View answerThe Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine continues to issue and accept felling licence applications and has to date this year issued 725 felling licences. Furthermore last year we issued record levels of felling licences at 3,293 for 9.6 million cubic metres of wood or 46,027 Hectares. These licences have up to 10 year timelines and are being used by forest owners providing work for forestry contractors and supplying sawmills.
As of 27th March 2023, there are 1,291 private sector felling licence applications. totalling an area of 18,539 hectares, which are not as yet approved. They are at various stages of completion within the Assessment process; some where my Department is awaiting further information from the applicant, others where the application is undergoing one of the public consultation stages and finally those being considered by for approval.
|
Year |
Number |
Hectares |
|
2018 |
7 |
130 |
|
2019 |
53 |
788 |
|
2020 |
70 |
952 |
|
2021 |
267 |
4,601 |
|
2022 |
693 |
10,217 |
|
2023 |
201 |
1,851 |
|
Total |
1,291 |
18,539 |
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine continues to issue and accept felling licence applications and has to date this year issued 725 felling licences. Furthermore last year we issued record levels of felling licences at 3,293 for 9.6 million cubic metres of wood. These licences have up to 10 year timelines and are being used by forest owners providing work for forestry contractors and supplying sawmills.
