It is not possible to approve a forestry licence within one month of receipt of application as there is a mandatory 30-day consultation for every application received.
I would like to emphasise that following receipt of an afforestation licence, it is entirely up to applicants whether they wish to realise the licence granted. This conversion rate remains disappointingly low as there is approximately 4,000 unused hectares available to forestry companies to plant.
I continue to encourage all applicants to do so and to avail of the generous premiums available for afforestation. The Department has engaged with sectoral representatives to consider whether anything else can be done to improve the conversion from approval to planting.