Pippa Hackett (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The target is 4,000 licences by the end of the year. It was originally 4,500 at the start of the year, but a statutory instrument introduced for the Department out of the blue in the middle of the year set us back by about two months during the summer. We were on course up to June with a sizeable increase in licensing output. It was low in July and August but we picked up the pace again in September. It has been acknowledged that it put our original target out of reach. We adjusted the target during the summer to 4,000 and we are confident we will meet it.

As regards the future strategy for forestry, we will undertake an extensive public consultation, including having focus groups. That work has started already. Irish Rural Link is engaging with communities, particularly those most affected. We have to examine what the future of forestry looks like, how it fits with communities, how it provides amenities, how it delivers for the timber sector, which is a crucial part, and helps us meet our climate and biodiversity targets.

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