Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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488. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of forestry road grants and felling licences that were applied for and granted to companies and persons in County Leitrim in each of the years 2013 to 2017. [5890/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Forest Road Scheme made available by my Department, provides opportunities for forest owners to improve access to forests to facilitate forest management and the harvesting of timber.  

As forests mature, it is important that forest owners can realise the full income potential from their forest crop by properly managing thinning and clear fell operations.  Tree Felling Licences are a legal requirement and must be obtained before any landowner considers felling trees.  This requirement is for trees within a forest and in certain circumstances, those outside a forest.

Following the commencement of the Forestry Act 2014 in May 2017, felling licences may be obtained for a period of up to 10 years.  This simplifies the process for landowners, who wish to carry out a programme of forest management, which includes thinning operations followed in later years by clear felling. 

My Department processed applications for Forest Road Grants for the years 2013-2017 indicated in the following table:

The number of tree felling licences issued to private land owners is given in the following table:

The number of felling licences issued to Coillte is as follows: