Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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912. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to deal with the eradication of a diseased product (details supplied) in view of the fact felling licence applications are on hold and not being granted. [4147/20]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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My Department continues to issue forestry licence decisions daily, as advertised on my Department's website. However, forestry licence applications cannot be processed if the application is missing information or where certain information has been requested but not received.

An application for a tree felling licence was made by the person named in June 2019. In November last, a letter issued to the applicant asking them to provide a harvest plan and map, to which no response has been received. Without this information, officials are unable to further assess the tree felling licence application. I would advise the applicant to engage a forestry professional to assist them with preparing the requested documents.

As regards the eradication of the diseased product i.e Ash Dieback, a review of the suspended reconstitution scheme has concluded and it is now proposed to make available a broader range of silvicultural and management measures under the scheme. Full details of the scheme will be publicised in the near future.