Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 March 2022
900. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the targeted number of afforestation licences for 2022; the number issued to date; the number his Department expects to issue on average per week for the remainder of 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16601/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department published a detailed Forestry Licensing Plan for 2022. The Plan contains a target of 5,250 licences issued this year, which is a year-on-year increase of 30%. The main sub-targets are
- A higher priority will be given to afforestation licences for 2022 with a 107% increase in output up to 1,040.
- There will be a year-on-year increase of 48% of private felling, roads and afforestation files.
- Coillte felling licences are targeted at the same level as 2021.
As can be seen in the table below, as of 25h March 2022 the projected target of year to date licences to be issued was 1,212 and the output of licences was 1,203 i.e. output is 99% of target.
|
Scheme |
Output YTDLicences |
Target YTD Licences |
|
Felling (Private) |
355 |
420 |
|
Felling (Coillte) |
511 |
360 |
|
Afforestation |
155 |
240 |
|
Roads |
182 |
192 |
|
Total (licences) |
1,203 |
1,212 |
Full details of all licences issued by category are available on the weekly dashboard which is published and made available to all interested parties as well as being submitted to the Joint Committee on Agriculture each week.
It is inevitable, in the context of the annual target figures, there will be fluctuations in licence output from week to week.
Along with Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, my priority this year is to deliver on the ambition outlined in the Licensing Plan and to issue 5,250 licences, meeting the projected targets for each category of licence, including afforestation, within that.
