Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise a couple of issues on the processing of applications and appeals by the public, many of which have been languishing for months and years, paralysing farmers and operators in Kerry and grossly affecting their income. Many constituents have contacted me regarding tree felling licence applications. I inquired about the status of one licence in July. I checked again in January and was told that it would probably be another nine months and to check back again in six months' time. This was for an application that was submitted in 2019. Lumber is being imported due to these delays. This is not beneficial to the environment and it is devastating for the operators and the industry here. The appeals process should be there for the people directly affected by the forestry operation, not for blanket objections. Currently, 90% of appeals against Coillte applications go no further but must churn through the system. I ask the Minister to get the multiple divisions of the forestry appeals committee up and running as was promised some months ago.

Invitations to apply for aquaculture licences were issued by the Department in 2016. In Castlemaine Harbour, more than 100 applications were received in Cromane, including from many people who had no previous association with the area. The number of applications has apparently led to all of those being rejected due to concerns about the impact of such a large number of growers operating in an area of special conservation and a relatively small spatial area.

Only 32 of these applications went to appeal and these have been in limbo for some years. There is no means for these growers to engage with the Department and discuss their applications.

The beef environmental efficiency programme, BEEP, is an invaluable programme of grant aid for small farmers. Some Kerry farmers have contacted me, saying they have been denied the aid and have appealed. On further inquiry I have heard that the Department has hundreds of appeals and it will likely take 12 weeks for any appeal to be reviewed. The staff are working in unusual and difficult conditions due to Covid-19, but additional resources or a different system must be investigated so that small farmers are not put out of business.

Some constituents, including farmers and solicitors, have contacted me about the banks' proposal to impose negative interest rates on deposit accounts. In transferring a family farm, in some cases where the farmer has deceased, moneys are being held in solicitors' clients' accounts. They will be further punished by banks which pay very little tax. This is totally inappropriate and pure greed on behalf of the banks, particularly in probate cases where the estate is being divided up. I ask the Minister to have a word with the financial regulator to ensure this will not happen and that families who are waiting on money from their solicitors will not be penalised with further financial penalties.

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