Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have attended a number of meetings involving departmental officials and various stakeholders. The Minister of State, Deputy Doyle, who has lead responsibility in the forestry sector, is daily involved in trying to bring together all the threads to find resolution to the issue. It is a complicated matter that is further complicated by case law which has effectively meant we have had to rebuild our licensing system to take account of the successful challenges either at Forestry Appeals Committee level or in the courts, whether domestic or European. We have had to take into consideration domestic court rulings, European Court of Justice rulings and Forestry Appeals Committee results in rebuilding a licensing system that we believe is now sufficiently robust. The ultimate determination of that will be in the current consideration by the Forestry Appeals Committee of the licences that have been issued under the new regime. We expect results from that imminently.

This is a complex area and I wish there were a simple solution to it. Regrettably complex issues sometimes require complex solutions. It involves appropriate assessments. It is a system somewhat similar to the system for aquaculture licensing, with which the Department has experience. It involves the same principle of appropriate assessments, Natura sites, etc. We have some experience in the area and it is complicated. We are recruiting additional staff in the ecological services area to assist with the processing of those licences.

I appreciate the independence of the Forestry Appeals Committee. Should we get successful outcomes imminently from the consideration of current licences, we will have a clear pathway to finding a resolution and having confidence that the system we have rebuilt is sufficiently robust. It will then be a question of getting as many appeals through the forestry appeals procedure as possible. We are acutely aware of this issue on which we have engaged with all the stakeholders along the supply chain. Given our targets with regard to afforestation and climate change, we want to deal with afforestation, road building, thinning and clear-felling. Forestry employs a large number of people, including private contractors and those working in sawmills. It is a very important industry in rural Ireland and we are doing everything to resolve the issue. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter.

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