Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We need to be careful about such a fundamental change. There are major issues with forestry licensing. We knew that when the Government came in. We made legislative changes and there has been a huge investment, for example, in resources in the Department. Ecologists are key to this. Therefore, we have more ecologists and forestry inspectors, in addition to administrative staff, assigned to licensing. There has been huge investment in resources in the Department with all of this. About 35 ecologists have now been recruited. You do not want to undo all of that. They have just been recruited to deal with licensing.

Licensing in 2021 was 56% higher than in 2020, with 4,050 licences issued compared to 2,592 in 2020. We have to do far higher numbers of licensing. Some 2,877 felling licences were issued. Crucially, the availability of this volume of timber has improved the timber situation and stabilised supply to the processing sector in 2021. I will discuss the matter with the Deputy again and follow through. I am not sure the local authorities would have the capacity to do what is needed for forestry generally.

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