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

I move amendment No. 82:

In page 18, to delete lines 28 to 32 and substitute the following:
“(iii) on an agricultural holding and removed by the owner for use on that holding, provided—(I) it does not form part of a decorative avenue or ring of trees,
(II) its volume does not exceed 3 cubic metres, and
(III) the removal of it, by the owner for the foregoing purpose, when taken together with the removal of other such trees by the owner for that purpose, would not result in the total volume of trees, on that holding and removed by the owner for that purpose, exceeding 15 cubic metres in any period of 12 months,”.

Concerns were raised in consultations with certain stakeholders, namely, the Environmental Pillar and Woodlands of Ireland, about the need to retain larger established trees and hedgerows as well as individual old or veteran trees by not exempting them from the felling licence system. Under amendment No. 82, a farmer or other landowner can still remove 15 cu. m of timber in any period of 12 months but the size of any individual tree must not exceed 3 cu.m. To remove a tree larger than 3 cu. m will require a felling licence.
Despite the restrictions introduced in this amendment, this provision remains a major benefit to farmers. A tree of 3 cu. m is still a very large tree and I believe amendment No. 82 achieves a balance between meeting the needs of landowners and protecting larger established or veteran trees. In the circumstances, I do not see a need for amendment No. 83.