Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 68:

In page 15, line 36, to delete “5 years” and substitute “10 years”.

One of the matters repeatedly raised on Second Stage and in the consultations with the various stakeholders prior to the introduction of the Bill was that of timelines in respect of the issuing of felling licences. Many stakeholders stressed the importance for their industry of short response times that would facilitate the flow of wood onto the market. I note the proposals made by Deputies for response times of varying lengths and I appreciate their input in this regard.

However, I am bringing forward my own amendment, No. 79, which I believe goes some way to addressing the issue raised by stakeholders. For this reason, I am not in a position to accept amendments Nos. 66, 74, 75 or 76.

Regarding amendments Nos. 74 and 75, these will restrict the period within which the Minister may consult third parties. The Minister must be empowered to consult any persons who may be affected or have an interest in a matter for which an approval or licence is being sought. If an issue comes to the Minister's attention during the course of his consideration of an application and the Minister believes consultation on the issue is warranted, the Minister should not be restricted in this regard. While the Minister has an obligation to treat the applicant in a fair and reasonable manner, the Minister has the same obligation to all citizens of the State, especially those who may be directly affected by forestry operations for which approval and licences are being sought.

Amendment No. 79 provides for the introduction of a timeline of four months within which the Department must process a felling licence application. This timeline reflects the need to consult other environmental authorities such as the National Monuments Service and Inland Fisheries Ireland. If the Department is not going to meet the deadline, it must provide the applicant with an explanation before the expiry of that period. This amendment must be viewed in conjunction with the amendment of section 17 in amendment No. 68. This allows for the doubling of the length of licence from five to ten years, with provision for further extensions of up to five years. Both of these amendments are intended to facilitate the timely and speedy processing of applications. I am confident the contribution of these two measures will contribute to a much-improved turnaround time for the processing of felling licences.