Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 December 2021
229. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of forestry planting licences issued by his Department in 2021; the total number of hectares involved; the total number of planting licences issued in 2020; and the total number of hectares involved; the steps he will take to expedite the issuing of planting licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59383/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra230. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of forestry felling licences issued in 2021 by his Department; the total number of cubic metres involved; the total number of felling licences issued in 2020; and the number of cubic metres involved; the steps he will take to expedite the issuing of felling licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59384/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 229 and 230 together.
To date 26th November, the Department has issued 2,552 tree felling licences for an area of 26,500ha and a volume of 7.612 million cubic metres.
This compares very favourably to the same week ending in 2020, when my Department had issued 1,529 tree felling licences for 16,161ha and 4.424 million cubic metres. In other words, the number of forestry licences issued this year is 167% of that issued to the same date last year and 172% of the volume issued. However, it must be noted that last year was an exceptionally challenging year. It looks likely that 2021 will be a record year for felling licences in terms of volume of timber licenced.
Coillte is almost fully licensed for 2022 also. It had its contract recently (17th November), where sawmills received half of their Coillte supply of logs for 2022. The sawmills are also receiving a steady stream of logs from felling licences issued to private landowners, with 870 private felling licences issued since 1st June 2021
Progress has been slower in issuing afforestation licences, however. Efficiencies that have been in place for some months for tree felling and forest road licence processing are now being applied to afforestation licences.
In addition, we now have 10 ecologists dedicated to afforestation and we intend to increase this number by reallocating resources and recruiting additional ecologists. As afforestation is a land-use change, it is essential that careful attention is paid to the likely affects forestry may have on the surrounding countryside and environment. To 26th November, 461 afforestation licences have issued, for 3,819ha.
As recommended by Project Woodland, the Department has placed a contract for the regulatory review with report due by end February, 2022. It will review the existing statutory framework for the licensing of forestry activities in relation to environmental and public participation obligations in order that practical advice can be provided to the Department on how to work more efficiently within the existing legal framework.
I would like to reiterate my commitment and that of Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, in ensuring that we maintain and improve on our licence delivery for the benefit of the sector and for society as a whole.
