Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Cahill for raising this issue. I am keenly aware of the importance of timely issue of approvals by my Department for the planting, thinning and felling of trees, both to achieve our afforestation targets and to ensure a consistent supply of timber for processing and renewable energy. As the Deputy is aware, forestry in Ireland operates within a legal and regulatory framework. This is necessary to protect forests and ensure forestry operations and activities are carried out in compliance with the principles of sustainable forest management. To this end, there are a number of steps to be followed for decisions about proposed forestry operations.

The Department is required to carefully vet all afforestation applications with regard to their potential impact on the surrounding environment, habitats and archaeological monuments and with regard to the social aspects of the proposal, and to ensure that the proposal meets the required silvicultural standards. This detailed examination is carried out by district forestry inspectors supported by experts in archaeology and ecology within the Department. Applications may also be referred externally to an outside agency or a public body, with up to eight weeks provided for a response for these external referrals. Applications often require additional information from the applicant and these take time. For openness and transparency reasons, applications are also open to public consultation, facilitated by the advertisement of applications on the Department's website and by a site notice. Interested parties may make a submission in writing on an application within 30 days of it being advised. The net effect of this is that there is a certain minimum timeframe involved in the decisions.

The Department has received 645 applications for 5,050 ha of afforestation to date in 2019.

Approvals have issued for 3,440 ha of afforestation. In addition, payments have issued for 2,968 ha of new afforestation and 51 km of new forest roads, which are essential for timber harvesting. It is not correct, therefore, to say there is a crisis in issuing licences, although there are challenges. I acknowledge that the requirements in terms of environmental compliance are more challenging than they have been in the past. My officials are dealing with this by means of an enhanced online application system, additional resources and specific training both for departmental foresters and private foresters. We must, of course, meet these environmental requirements to ensure that the public has confidence in the sustainability of our afforestation programme.

We have experienced an upsurge in felling licences in recent years, possibly because they are now valid for up to ten years and may cover several felling events on the same plot. The number of felling licences applied for doubled from 2017 to 2018, from 3,300 to 6,600. We have this year issued 3,700 licences, which is double the number issued in 2018. Furthermore, 82% of tree-felling licences were approved within four months.

We can do better and that is why I commissioned an external review of my Department's forestry applications and approvals process to ensure it is as efficient and effective as possible. Mr. Jim Mackinnon, CBE, former chief planner with the Scottish Government, is currently undertaking this review and will report on it by the year’s end. I look forward to his findings. He has met a range of stakeholders right across the industry. We really are anticipating that he will have some positive comments and constructive suggestions.

As is the case with all of my Government colleagues, I am acutely aware of the climate emergency. Forestry has a very significant role to play in helping meet our mitigation objectives, particularly through carbon sequestration, which is why a target of 8,000 ha is included in the climate action plan. I know only too well that achieving this target will be difficult as recent trends have not delivered planting at this rate, despite the generous grants and premiums offered by my Department.

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