Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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2. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of afforestation licences that were issued for the entire industry in November 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60836/21]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I understand Deputy Bacik is taking this question. I have no difficulty with that but I remind Deputies there has to be notification of the change in advance.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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I apologise. I am asking this question on behalf of Deputy Sherlock. How many afforestation licences were issued for the entire industry in November of this year and will the Minister of State make a statement on matter? This is in the context of concerns about delays and shortfalls in the issuing of licences for afforestation. There is concern targets will not be met and that this will have an impact on us meeting our ambitious but necessary climate action targets.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Senator Pippa Hackett):

Tackling the backlog in forestry licences remains a key priority for me and the Department.

I am pleased to report that significant progress has been made in the past year, particularly on felling and roads. However, afforestation is a crucial part of this and we are actively addressing it all the time. Regarding the prioritisation of afforestation licences in recent times, in the month of November, 50 afforestation licences were issued and the total to date for the year stands at 476. We have dedicated more ecologists to deliver afforestation licences. Investment in resources and continued improvements have had a positive impact with a significant increase in licensing output across the board. This has brought our total licensing output this year to 3,718 and my officials tell me that we will meet our target of 4,000 licences by the year end, which will be a 60% increase on last year. Our road licensing output for this year will be double the target set for us in the climate action plan. The volume of timber licensed will be approximately 8 million cu. m this year. This is 60% higher than last year and the highest volume ever licensed in a single year.

There are many issues in the system that still have to be fixed. We are working on that and the establishment of Project Woodland has that as one of its chief aims, as well as looking at the future model for forestry and a fit-for-purpose, multifunctional strategy for forestry for the future.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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I thank the Minister of State for the update and the confirmation of figures. The number in November appears to be very low if we are to meet the target of 4,500 licences by the end of this year. She might elaborate on how many she anticipates will be issued this month. The Minister of State also acknowledged that there are still many issues to fix. We are hearing concerns about delays and bureaucratic obstacles, such as applicants being asked for Natura impact statements even though they have already proposed forestry plans. It is welcome to hear that more ecologists have been appointed, but there is still a concern about whether we will meet targets.

The Minister of State referred to Project Woodland. I would like to know more about the nature of the forestry licences that are issued and how that impacts on the biodiversity crisis we are facing along with the climate crisis. Will the preponderance be native woodland and native tree species? Will there be an emphasis on that rather than the emphasis we have seen for far too long on commercial species?

Pippa Hackett (Green Party)
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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.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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I welcome the acknowledgement that the target has been reduced to 4,000. As recently as August, it was still being publicly spoken of as 4,500. I also welcome the Minister of State's outline of the public consultation. What has been lacking to date, and the Minister of State has acknowledged this previously, is a co-ordinated, joined-up afforestation policy that fits within our ambitious but necessary climate action targets and within the climate action plan. I have spoken a number of times to the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, about the lack, to date, of publication of the detailed annexe with timelines that was to accompany the climate action plan to outline how to meet the targets for forestry, biodiversity and other matters. The latest figures I have from the forestry licensing dashboard show that the total number of afforested hectares is 3,498, but it is over 24,000 for felling. We are cutting down more trees than we are planting. We are felling more trees and granting more licences to fell than we are granting licences to plant. Indeed, Deputy Sherlock told me that for every acre of forestry we plant, we are cutting approximately 6.7 acres, so that has to change if we are to meet those targets.

Pippa Hackett (Green Party)
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With regard to the Deputy's last point, any land that is felled is replanted so it is not a net loss of area planted unless there are circumstances in which the land must not be planted, perhaps if it was planted in the wrong location originally. On the whole, the vast majority of lands that are felled are replanted.

I accept and agree with the Deputy that a joined-up policy is needed for forestry for the future. I appreciate her support for a public consultation. We will extend that, and between now and the new year we will hopefully see that activated with much engagement across the country. The annexe to actions on the climate action plan will be due very shortly, before the end of the year. That will give more detail and give people something to check against to see if the Government is delivering in that regard. It will be useful for everyone.