Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 April 2022
925. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of private sector forest road licences with an attached single consent application that remain to be processed by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17805/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra926. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the years the applications for forest road licences with single consent applications attached which remain unapproved were received by his Department on an annual basis in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17806/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra927. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of Coillte forest road licences with an attached single consent application that remain to be processed by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17807/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 925, 926 and 927 together.
In February 2020, Section 8 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2018 was commenced and the Forestry (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations, 2020 (SI No. 39 of 2020), were signed. This legislation made provision for my Department to act as the single consent authority for applications for forest road works licences, where the forest road provides access to a public road (other than a national road) or there is material widening of an existing entrance. Forest owners wishing to carry out such works no longer require a grant of planning from their local authority.
To 30th March 2022, the Department has received a total of 480 forest road works applications under the single consent process. At the moment 217 of those applications are awaiting a decision. Coillte forest road under the single consent process accounts for 33 of those outstanding applications.
The table below shows the years that the applications for forest roads with single consent were received; of these approximately one-third are awaiting further information from the applicant, in order that they may be processed.
|
Year |
Nos. |
|
2018 |
1 |
|
2019 |
3 |
|
2020 |
71 |
|
2021 |
119 |
|
2022 |
23 |
|
Total awaiting decision |
217 |
We issued 671 road licences in 2021 in respect of 264 kilometres which is double the target in the Climate Action Plan 2021. We have committed to issue 820 road licences this year, as outlined in the Forestry Licensing Plan This is a 27% increase on the number of road licences issued in 2021. We are keeping pace with expected output to date this year, with 203 road licences issued to 1st April, 2022.
Details of our Licensing Plan may be found at www.gov.ie/en/publication/forestry-policy-and-strategy/#forestry-licensing-plan-2022
