Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for coming in to take this issue. As he knows, we have great plans for afforestation, planting more trees, as part of our battle to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Without a doubt, forestry plays a very important part in carbon sequestration but all the evidence points to the fact that our system for licensing or planning forestry is not fit for purpose. The matter I bring before the Minister of State today arises out of complaints from people involved in the industry, particularly the Forestry Company in Cork. These companies are given licences to plant and to fell mature forests but there is a major problem. As the Minister of State knows, the planning process does not involve a planning application to the local authority.The planning process is not just a planning application to the local authority. It involves an initial application to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine for a licence. The forestry appeals committee hears objections or appeals against decisions made. However, it would seem according to those involved in the industry that very few, if any, licences are being issued from the Department and that there are major blockages in the forestry appeals committee system, which means that they cannot do any business. That might point to an issue with resources but, more worrying, the substantive issue that the decisions made by the forestry appeals committee decisions appear to be ad hoc. It does not appear to operate a system of precedent, case law or something akin to that whereby people objecting and those defending their case can be properly guided as to how the committee interprets the legislation. That is one aspect.

The other aspect is that these forests have a major impact on communities. Communities are complaining that they are not being consulted properly. There is a recommendation in the forestry guidelines that they should be consulted but that is not happening in many cases. Under the current system, if one wants to builds a road going into a forest, one has to get planning permission and go through the rigours of the local authority. However, if one wants to plant a vast forest that might have the same impact as building a warehouse in the middle of the countryside, one does not need planning permission.

There must be a more integrated approach in county development plans to ensure there can be a proper and robust teasing out of the balancing of land use and desirable forestry because we need forestry in the right place and with the right mix to avoid monoculture. Equally, we have to have consideration for communities and ensure that these forests are not overbearing and that they are a fair imposition on communities. One only has to look to the likes of Leitrim where there is vast afforestation and people are up in arms about it. We need to get the balance right but this cries of a system, in terms of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the forestry appeals committee, that is not fit for purpose. It needs to be reviewed in respect of the county development plan and the local authorities, but that is not happening. People are aggrieved. They believe they are not being listened to and that there is not a proper process in place to allow their concerns to be aired. There are also the people involved in the industry. This does not seem to suit anybody and the result is that it will not suit our objective to plant more forests. We have to go back to the drawing board and get this right. I hope we can begin that process here today. I acknowledge Senator Paddy Burke, who tabled this Commencement matter but who cannot be here owing to-----