Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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810. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a felling licence application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14691/20]

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Forestry Act 2014 sets out the legislative requirements in relation to tree felling. A tree felling licence must be obtained from my Department and trees felled must be replanted, regardless of whether the trees in question were funded by means of a grant or by the landowner.

The person named made an application for a tree felling licence in February 2020.The applicant has not provided details of how it is intended to replant the felled land and that information is needed in order to make a decision on the application.

It is open to the applicant to plant an alternative site, of the same size and with the same species, in order to meet the replanting obligation. Prior approval for the alternative site must be obtained before a tree felling licence will issue.