Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I was going to say that the notes I have with me are around the Estimate, which is not relevant to the forestry question. I do not have the dashboard in front of me at the moment to compare the figures that the Deputy has in front of him. What I can be very clear on is that every effort is being made to address the supply crunch that is there, and to address the issues in regard to volume and the backlog in licences. I have outlined clearly how the ecological resources and staff have ramped up massively and continue to ramp up, how the number of forestry inspectors has ramped up significantly and continues to do so, and how the forestry appeals committee has subdivided into four committees, when it was previously one. In addition, the legislation which was brought through to streamline the licensing process is now in place.

Over the course of the last year, there were a significant number of appeals in the system. This had increased in the course of the last year to year and a half, which had dried up supply. As licences are coming in and are being issued, thankfully, we are seeing some volume come in. However, that does not take away from the fact that, over recent months, we have seen supply reduce in the market, which is causing real problems. We are doing all we can and making every effort possible, as I have just outlined, to ensure that volume increases and to ensure that, over the month of December and into January, this improves the situation further and we start to get on top of that backlog and start to drive it down to ensure there is a more streamlined application process in regard to the timelines for people making afforestation applications. It is undoubtedly massively frustrating for all of those who are currently waiting on a felling licence or an afforestation, thinning or road opening licence.