Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Last June, we debated at length in the House the issue of forestry and tree-felling licences. The situation has got worse. People cannot get forestry licences to sell their trees, whether from private forests or through the national afforestation programme. This has a significant knock-on effect on the building industry, the haulage industry, farm and forestry contractors and people who supply firewood. People cannot get timber for essential construction jobs and it has to be imported.

Will the Taoiseach please ensure there are enough staff in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to deal with the issue? Are serial objectors causing the problem? There is a serious problem. Small businesses are being wiped out, especially in this time of Covid, and jobs are being lost. Above all, people cannot get timber to roof their houses or to carry out other essential works. There is a huge logjam. The forestry Bill we passed last year, which I voted against, is not working. I do not know whether the logjam is due to a lack of staff or of ambition but it needs to be sorted out.

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