Pippa Hackett (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Conway for bringing forward this Commencement matter and giving me the opportunity to discuss some of the current arrangements relating to forest licensing and timber transport. Forestry plays a very important role in our rural economy and in climate change mitigation efforts and supports thousands of local rural jobs, directly and indirectly. Following recent improvements made to the forest licensing system, my Department issued 4,050 forestry licences last year, a 56% increase on 2020.

The increased supply of licences to the industry over the past 12 months has allowed processors to rebuild their inventories, putting them in a much better position to respond to fluctuating demand from customers and to build confidence about the future. We have worked hard to enable this. During 2020 and 2021, my Department undertook significant and difficult work to incorporate complex ecological, appropriate assessment and public consultation requirements into the current licensing system. With regard to roads, the Department is not seeking to involve detailed public road management issues within the current felling licensing processes. There are a number of safeguards and measures in place to protect the public road network, and good communications, planning and management are central to implementing these.

Currently, all applications involving clear-fell are referred directly to the relevant local authority for comment. Where felling licences are issued, once a licensee or the licensee's haulier has accessed the public road network, the safe use and prevention of damage to the road are seen as matters exclusively for the local roads authority, the county council, An Garda Síochána, and the licensee or the licensee's haulier. All this is guided by a publication entitled "A Good Practice Guide, Managing Timber Transport" and the road haulage of round timber code of practice 2017. These guides were prepared by the forest industry transport group, which included representatives from the stakeholders in timber transport, including the local authorities. The guides propose a preventative approach to many issues of concern. Adherence to the guides will generate solutions based on good communications, planning and management; optimum vehicle selection and-or procurement; and compliance with legislation and guidelines. My Department supports further practical measures aimed at protecting the public road network, including the provision of support for variable tyre pressure systems on timber transport vehicles and the use of optimal routing technology by operators.

Additional consultation and referrals with local authorities are provided for in the development of new forest roads and entrances. Following the introduction of the Forestry (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations, S.I. No. 39 of 2020, my Department now acts as the consent authority for applications for forest road works licences, where the forest road provides access to a public road other than a national road or there is material widening of an existing entrance. These amendment regulations are on foot of the commencement of section 8 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2018. Forest road projects that provide access to a national road still require planning permission from the relevant roads authority. For other road types, a mandatory standardised consultation process with the relevant roads authority is implemented.

To summarise, there is a strong need to ensure that the new requirements for consultation are implemented properly by all parties. Sufficient safeguards and measures exist to protect the public road network, and all stakeholders need to focus on the implementation of these to ensure that timber transport can be conducted sustainably on and off our public roads.