Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As for afforestation, every felling licence that is granted comes with a reforestation licence. Where somebody clear-fells a site, the obligation is on him or her to replant that within two years. A new afforestation licence is valid for three years. The licensee has to plant the site within three years. Last year's output of afforestation licences was not as successful as, for example, the progress that was made on felling. That will be a focus this year. Our objective will be to double the number of afforestation licences issued this year. The number of afforestation licences granted last year was 500-odd but, in land area terms, that was just over the 8,000 ha mark. We have seen about a 60% uptake of licences that are granted reaching afforestation. Our objective is to make progress towards 8,000 ha. We are making a profile for that and we will continue to do that because it shows our commitment to funding that. At the end of last year, in October, when it became clear what the level of afforestation was last year, in the October Revised Estimate I reprofiled the funding it looked like we were not going to spend in that regard. At the start of this year, we are putting in place funding that would cover 8,000 ha. There will be a significant effort in the Department this year to address afforestation licensing and make real progress on it.