Pippa Hackett (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for their passionate contributions. I could see from the comments that were made that there is a shared vision. I would like to think I share that vision with them of a much better forestry model, one that is good for the environment and where communities will want to live beside forests and be surrounded by the right type of forests. That is my intent and my vision for forestry.

Deputies Harkin and Carthy highlighted the 15% minimum target for broadleaves. I agree that it is a minimum and that it could well be more. That is certainly something I will look into. This year so far, of the trees planted, 36% are broadleaf so we have done quite well, even in a bad year and I hope we can improve on that in the future. There is a wider context here in that the State is facing a very big challenge at the moment. We have testing and uncertain times and the demands on public services and the public purse are substantive. To introduce another layer in terms of a requirement for planning permission for forestry when we have a system in place to deal with forestry would involve unnecessary duplication not only of effort but of resources in particular at this time when neither would be good practice.

My Department has a cohort of experts to deal with licensing applications. I am on the record many times acknowledging the problems of the past; the poor planning decisions; the poor ways we planted trees that were, for example, too close to rivers and too close to homes. Members should be aware that it would not happen today. The system has changed, even in the past 18 months, and it is something I want to improve further in the future. The licensing system has improved in recent times and is robust. The resource implications of looking at the issue from a planning perspective as well as a licensing perspective is a highly unnecessary duplication. As I indicated in my opening statement, we engage widely with a number of bodies, including local authorities. Currently, local authorities play a significant role in many forestry applications. They are consulted if there is a question of a scenic area being affected or if a proposed forest is close to a Natura site, so it is not as if local authorities have no part to play in the process currently. They play a very useful part.

As part of the forestry licensing system, all parties have direct access to the appeals committee. The Bill proposes that parties would have to access the forestry appeals committee, FAC, and also An Bord Pleanála. The question is which they would choose. That is another unnecessary layer. We have worked hard to improve the system within the FAC.

In response to Deputy O'Donoghue's comments, the Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill was enacted on 8 October. We have three committees now ready to hear the scheduled hearings. That shows how quickly we have moved since the enactment, which is only a couple of weeks ago. I hope that will result in a turnaround in the number of appeals heard.

Open and transparent access to information is an important part of the planning process and the forestry licensing process. We will shortly echo the access that exists for planning applications in the forestry licensing process by the launch on our website of a forestry licence viewer. This online portal will make available easily accessible information on forestry licence applications in alignment with the current planning process. If we accepted the Bill we could potentially have two systems whereby applicants would have to look at the planning site and the forestry licensing process.

Deputy Fitzmaurice mentioned the Mackinnon report, as I did in my opening statement. I have plans to implement further changes as soon as possible. I intend to look anew at the Mackinnon report. The purpose of appointing a chair is not to implement the report but to advise the Minister on implementing the report. I certainly will look at that very shortly and I look forward to doing so.

Turning to the future of forestry in Ireland, the licensing system is integral to it. We face many challenges but we also have a vista of new opportunities. We want to build a model that is more sustainable, which attracts farmers, holds the attention of businesses, is good for communities, is good for the environment and biodiversity and is good for local rural economies.

In conclusion, if we do introduce more complexity and cost at this stage, it will strongly hamper our efforts. Therefore, I reiterate our opposition to the Bill.

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