Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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1493. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a felling licence can be expedited for a person (details supplied); and when they can expect it to be issued. [32429/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As you may be aware, there is a backlog of license applications that require an Appropriate Assessment (AA). My Department has put in place a detailed project plan for dealing with this backlog which includes recruitment of additional ecologists, forestry inspectors and administrative staff where required. Applications for which Natura Impact Statements (NIS) have been submitted will be dealt with first.

Submitting a NIS for this licence application will significantly reduce the length of time it will take for the Department to complete the AA process. If a satisfactory NIS is submitted for this application, the length of time it will take to complete the AA process is estimated to be between 2 and 3 months.