Forestry Sector

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 November 2016

Thursday, 10 November 2016

Ceisteanna (216, 217, 218, 219, 220)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

216. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the action that was taken in response to the report prepared by the National Parks and Wildlife Service on 2 December 2015 in response to Parliamentary Question No. 634 of 1 December 2015 which reported that, under a licence granted for thinning for firewood (details suppled), up to 30 oak trees between 60 to 80 years old, with the occasional older tree, had been felled in spite of a detailed condition in this licence requiring the retention of these specific oak trees. [34351/16]

Clare Daly

Ceist:

217. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she had informed the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine's forest service of Parliamentary Question No. 634 of 1 December 2015 regarding felling in an ancient woodland (details supplied) in County Longford and the report provided to her by the National Parks and Wildlife Service confirming the felling of mature oak trees specifically protected in the licence, to determine if a licence had been issued and to co-ordinate a response with the authority responsible for licensing the felling of trees. [34352/16]

Clare Daly

Ceist:

218. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the action she will take over the felling of the oak trees specifically prohibited under licence (details supplied), in view of the fact that the same operators are continuing to operate under two current licences for operations in this woodland. [34353/16]

Clare Daly

Ceist:

219. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the reason, after requiring a condition that no felling would take place during the restricted bird nesting season from March to September in the first licence issued for forestry operations in a heritage woodland (details supplied) in County Longford, a subsequent licence was never provided to the ranger for comment and was returned to the forest service without any recommendation. [34354/16]

Clare Daly

Ceist:

220. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the details of any meetings she has held with the owner of a heritage woodland (details supplied) in County Longford; and the actions that were taken because of such meetings. [34355/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

I propose to take Questions Nos. 216 to 220, inclusive, together.

I am advised that the forestry activities referred to by the Deputy have been carried out under license from the Forest Service, which comes under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. While my Department was consulted by the Forest Service as the woodland concerned is situated adjacent to, and partially within, a Special Area of Conservation, it is a matter for the Forest Service to determine if there were any breaches of licence conditions and, if so, whether any action needs to be taken in relation to such breaches under the provisions of the Forestry Acts.

Consultation by the Forest Service with my Department’s National Parks and Wildlife Service in connection with tree felling applications may be considered at various levels within the regional management structure but no inference should be drawn by an absence of specific comment, as the responsibility lies with the Forest Service to make its own decision.

There has been no meeting between officials of my Department and the owner of the woodland concerned.