Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This Bill updates existing forestry law in several ways. It gives the Minister the power to make regulations for the effective management of the forestry sector and the protection of trees. It introduces a revised felling licence system and assigns powers to authorised officers to enforce the Forestry Acts. The introduction of the legislation follows consultation and reviews of the forestry industry in recent years. The conclusion of this process was that the existing regulatory framework for forestry is inadequate to deal with the complexities of a modern and sustainable forestry sector which places greater emphasis on protection of the environment.

In 2012 a report by Teagasc entitled Situation and Outlook for Forestry 2011-2012 indicated that in 2010, the overall value of forestry to the Irish economy was €673 million. It also stated:

Direct output in the wood products sectors (i.e. panel board mills, sawmills and other wood products sector) was €1.3 billion. The total value (direct and indirect) to the economy of the three wood processing sectors was €2.2 billion. The aggregate employment figure for the forest sector as a whole is estimated at close to 12,000 persons, the majority of whom are employed in rural Ireland. The aggregate employment figure for the forest sector as a whole is estimated at close to 16,000, the majority of whom are employed in rural areas.

These jobs are provided across the sector, in activities such as growing, harvesting and processing of forest products. There is a significant demand for timber as a raw material at present, and that demand is expected to increase in the next 20 years where, in addition to the traditional outlets in the wood processing sectors, the wood energy sector is also developing into a substantial market.

Ireland predominantly exports wood products to the United Kingdom. In fact, we have a 5% share of the overall UK timber market. Irish saw mills also export limited volumes of mostly low-category timber, mainly to markets in France, Belgium and Holland. Overall timber demand is expected to increase. To avoid medium-term shortfalls in wood fibre and meet the demands of our export-driven timber processing sector, mobilisation of private timber resources is necessary. The State has made a significant investment in the development of forestry over the years in order to ensure there is a critical mass of timber coming on stream to sustain the timber and timber products sector.

Forest cover nationally stands at almost 11%. Privately owned forest accounts for some 46% of this, most of which is in the ownership of farmers. Forest cover is good for the environment. It has the capacity to enhance the rural landscape and, when managed sensitively, can play an important role in the protection of river catchment. Forestry-related tourism contributes to the economy and benefits society in general. More than 20 million visits are made annually to Irish forests, with over 200,000 people using forest trails for exercise. Trekking through forests is an important aspect of walking tourism, a sector which attracts 500,000 visitors who spend €128 million annually. These benefits represent a return on the investment by the State in the development of Irish forestry and the forestry industry in recent decades through the provision of forest grants and premiums to landowners.

Forestry is also an important aspect of national policies such as the climate change strategy.

Forests contribute to reducing Ireland's carbon emissions through the use of wood fuels and wood products that replace imported fossil fuels and energy intensive products such as steel, plastic and aluminium. The use of wood to produce heat and electricity in Ireland resulted in an estimated reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 560,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2012. The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the subsequent impact on global warming is clearly an important environmental benefit of forests and forest products. The Bill recognises the important contribution forests can make in mitigating the adverse effects of climate change.

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