Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for the opportunity to raise this important issue on the floor of the Dáil. I take this opportunity to congratulate Deputy Calleary on his appointment as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and I wish him every success. As the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, is here as well I offer my congratulations to him and wish him well in his role also.

I raise the issue of the forestry sector. By and large, there is just one serial objector to a range of issues relating to forestry, from plantation, to felling and access roads for felling and that has brought the forestry industry and afforestation to a halt. We have heard many fine words about the need for further afforestation. I have had dealings with some companies that are trying to get planting licences, felling licences and road licences and they are at breaking point. The industry has almost been brought to a halt, as well as the ancillary industries that depend on afforestation. Many farmers were looking at planting earlier this year during the planting season but they have been affected as well.

I wish to bring a letter from one of the companies to the attention of the Dáil. It was in contact with me in connection with an application that was made by a private landowner who wanted to get approval for forestry in a townland in County Cork. The company has been experiencing a very difficult time in business due to the crisis in licensing within the Forestry Service. The company has currently approximately 134 afforestation applications totalling 11,035 ha., 30 forest road applications and more than 60 felling licence applications with the Forestry Service. Some of these files are with the Forestry Service since 2018. The Forestry Service currently has 1,800 files in the ecology department and 33 files are being referred to it every week. The Forestry Service is reported to be employing seven new ecologists and hiring new outside ecologists. The company has been advised by the Forestry Service that applications with ecology reports with Natura impact statements, NIS, will get priority within the Department, but we were informed this week that when the Forestry Service recruits seven ecologists the felling licence applications will get priority and leave people like my constituent waiting for approval without a timeframe for when he can expect to get his land planted. The company has spent over €20,000 on NIS reports, on the advice of the Forestry Service that applications with NIS reports would get priority. To date, the company has not received any approval of the files it submitted with NIS reports. It makes no sense to ask applicants to carry out these reports, sometimes at a cost of over €1,000, submit them to the Forestry Service and then wait for the overworked ecology department to examine every file, leading to further delay.

The company believes the best solution to the current difficulties in the Forestry Service is to recruit 15 outside ecologists for a six month period to clear the backlog of files awaiting approval.

That is a sensible suggestion and there should be an attempt made by the Department to get extra help because of the delay in getting these licences through the Department.

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