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

With regard to amendments Nos. 44 and 47, forest management objectives of owners are catered for in the felling licence application process. I must stress that it will be the forest owner in the first instance who will specify the type of tree felling that will be proposed. It is he or she who will propose the replanting species in the first instance. If a forest is being felled it is the owner who will specify the species and number of trees for felling. For example, if a forest owner found that a crop of Douglas fir had grown particularly well, he or she might want to plant the felled crop with the same species. In this case, he or she would state the species for replanting as Douglas fir on the felling licence application form.

In this situation, if there are no particular environmental considerations, the reforestation proposals will be licensed. Although this section of the Bill allows the Minister to place conditions on a licence it will only occur where the applicant has omitted to take into consideration good forest practice. Examples where the Minister might attach conditions would include amending the application to exclude planting rights up to the banks of a sensitive river or improving the tree species mix and the set-back distance adjoining a public road or a house. Again, these conditions will be reasonable and will take into account consideration of the information submitted by the forest owner on the felling licence.

With regard to amendments Nos. 44 and 47, it is explicit in the Bill that felling licences and conditions issued will generally be in accordance with good forest practice. However, there may be limited circumstances where licences may be issued which do not fall into the category strictly described as "good forest practice". For example, there may be valid reasons where tree felling is for social or conservation reasons which may not necessarily be described as good forest practice. Examples might include a forest owner proposing to remove a small area of forest for the creation of a hurling pitch for a local village or the felling of trees to prioritise the conservation of a protected species. Although the power to attach conditions is provided for in this Bill the felling licence application process allows for the owner's objectives to be included in the licensing process. For all the reasons stated I do not intend to accept these amendments.

See this speech in context