Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Stanley. I certainly will. The Minister, Deputy McConalogue, and the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, are active on this issue. We are, as a Government, acutely aware of the issues with the licensing of forestry operations in Ireland. This is as a result of the Department having to make changes to the appropriate assessment procedure due to European Court of Justice and Irish law rulings relating to environmental regulation. We have very significantly increased the resources in the Department with more ecologists, forestry inspectors and additional administrative staff assigned to licensing but I will convey the points the Deputy has made to the Minister, Deputy McConalogue.

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