John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

886. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason there is a backlog in felling licences leading to the importation of the raw material for pallets while thousands of pallets are burned at Halloween each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23571/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The delays in issuing licences, including felling licences, originate from recent case law from the ECJ and the High Court that have changed how the Department implements environmental law. The clarifications brought about by these cases have resulted in the Department introducing a revised Appropriate Assessment Procedure for forestry licensing.

These changes in process are very significant, but unavoidable, and have led to delays in the issue of licences, as most files now require 2nd stage Appropriate Assessment. The delay in issuing licences is not the only delaying factor as there is also a third-party right of appeal on any licence granted. There are approximately 350 cases currently on the books of the Forestry Appeals Committee with this number growing.

My Department is doing everything it can to address this backlog including significant increase in resources for new ecologists and forestry inspectors. We have also put in place detailed project plans for the purposes on increasing the output of new licences with a detailed project management structure.

The Government has approved the urgent drafting of a stand-alone Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill. This will reform the forestry appeals process by bringing it into line with similar planning processes. I have published the draft Bill for public consultation on 30 July for a four-week period with a closing date on Friday 28 August. My officials are currently reviewing nearly 9,000 submissions on the draft Bill received by the closing date and, in parallel, work is ongoing with the OPC on further drafting of the Bill with a view to its presentation to the Houses of the Oireachtas as soon as possible.