Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will be as brief as possible. I welcome the Minister of State and congratulate her. It is brilliant to see a fellow Senator from the Upper House in a ministerial role. As she will have noted from previous contributions and our deliberations during the past week, the word “crisis” has been used and it has not been used loosely. I conscious she inherited this issue. I want her to outline some potential solutions or indicate how we will turn the corner, get this industry back on the road, save the 12,000 jobs that are at stake and meet the programme for Government afforestation target of 8,000 ha.

I was a member of the previous agriculture committee. The Minister of State’s predecessor was the former Minister of State, Andrew Doyle, and at that time the Mackinnon report was the holy grail. I was a little taken aback that it was not referenced in the Minister of State's submission. Is that indicative of the Department's stance on the Mackinnon report? Has it been shelved and is it gathering dust? I would have expected at least a reference to it in her submission.

Will the Minister of State consider amending the 2014 Act to alleviate the pressure on the licence applications process and introduce a forestry licence whereby when an applicant applies for an afforestation licence initially, that licence in the context of a management plan would include provision for whatever roadways might be necessary in the future and for thinning and felling licences? In other words, one licence would cover it all with a built-in workable management plan. Also, what is her view on how to restore confidence in the sector? We are talking about upping the hectares of forestry. Whatever about Coillte, the farmers we expect to buy into that have lost confidence in the sector and will not be prepared to invest in it.

I have a few brief specific questions for Mr. Hayes. I have asked this question previously and received various answers to it. Will he categorically state the length of time on average it takes to process a licence in the Department? I have heard of licence applications that have been with the Department for up to three years. I was told previously the delay was caused by an ecologist not being available to the Department. I am aware of an applicant who applied for an NIS and their licence application has been with the Department for more than two years later with no sign of it being issued. Will Mr. Hayes give a definitive specific target on the average processing time for a licence?

I also seek clarification on another matter. When an application has to be referred to other State bodies, be it the local authority, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, An Taisce or some other body, I have been told it is sent to one body, and when it replies, the application is then sent to another body. Why can an application not be referred to all State bodies at the same time if multiple bodies are involved? Common sense would dictate that the application should be referred to all those bodies at the same time as that would shorten the processing time involved, rather than having the practice of sending it to Joe today, and on receipt of a reply from him, sending it to Pat, and on receipt of a reply from him, sending it to Billy. I would like specific answers to those questions. I would also like to hear the Minister of State's view on restoring confidence in the sector to get buy-in from potential foresters.