Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 17 January 2024

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Threat of Bark Beetles to Plantations: Discussion

Mr. Jason Fleming:

I will add to that. Licensing has been a big problem over the past couple of years. On the temporary suspension, we are not looking for a big thing. If we were to get licences out within four months, which is in the departmental guidelines, we would have no problem. The problem we have is that until a few years ago, it was taking four or five years to get a licence. The waiting time has reduced to 15 or 16 months but the recommendation within the departmental guidelines is that licences should be sent out within four months. If the whole licensing system was simplified, we would have no problem. As Ms O'Sullivan has said, the timber council is supporting the task force. Most forestry groups in this country are supporting the task force. I will not start naming them but that is true of nurseries as well. It is a win-win for everyone to set up this task force. All we are looking for is to go through the biosecurity measures on which we all agree. We will have no problem with imports after that.

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