Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 June 2020
593. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a forestry application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13216/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for the Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme was received on behalf of the person named in November 2019. The application is complex as the proposed site is close to designated sites, including Castlemaine Harbour SAC and a stretch of the Gweestin River, which is a high-status watercourse. The site also contains or is near to archaeological features and artefacts.
The Deputy will be aware that my Department made changes to the assessment procedures used when examining all forestry licence applications. These changes were introduced in response to important Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) decisions and their subsequent interpretation by the Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC). These findings meant that, in order to grant licences which fully meet environmental requirements, fundamental changes to the licensing system were unavoidable. These changes, which are substantial, have led to delays in processing applications. My Department has devoted considerable time and energy to introducing a robust and workable system and is now recruiting significant extra resources, both ecologists and forestry inspectors, to address the backlog.
The possibility that the proposed afforestation may have an impact on the designated sites cannot yet be excluded. Therefore, officials of my Department will complete the Appropriate Assessment report and determination. It is also open to the person named to have a Natura Impact Statement (NIS), completed by a suitably qualified person at their own expense and submit it for review by my Department’s Ecology Unit which can speed up consideration of the file.
Once the assessment of the application is complete, the forestry inspector will make their recommendations, which will form the decision on the application. The decision will be issued to the person named and any person who made a submission on the application. The decision may be appealed to the Forestry Appeals Committee within 28 days.
