Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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219. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to amend the planning regulations in respect of afforestation in view of the fact lands are now being planted very close to dwelling homes and farm yards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40991/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The principal Planning and Development Regulations were amended in September 2011 by the Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2011 to provide that initial afforestation shall be exempted development. This activity is exempted from the requirement to obtain planning permission, as it is subject to a separate statutory development consent system under the European Communities (Forest Consent and Assessment) Regulations 2010, administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The 2010 Regulations make specific provision for public consultation in the application and approval processes.

I have no proposals to further amend the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended, in this regard.