John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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359. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if forestry roadworks approved under the local authority planning process prior to 7 February 2020 and circular 3/2020 are now required to have approval under the single consent process thereby adding another layer of bureaucracy and further costs to applicants; and If he will review a contract number (details supplied) and clarify the issues raised. [37602/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department worked closely with the Department of Housing to bring an amendment to the Planning and Development Acts to facilitate a more efficient application process for forest roads.  Section 8 of the Act was commenced in February and in tandem with this the Forestry (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations, 2020 (SI No. 39 of 2020) were signed. 

The legislation means that from the 7th February, 2020 all applications for forest roads including an entrance (or widening an existing entrance) onto a public road (other than a national road) must be processed under a single consent system operated by my Department.

We are currently reviewing this case and its particular circumstances and will be in direct contact with the applicant.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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360. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made in the past month within his Department in processing licences for forestry roads and for felling timber in view of the critical supply situation in the timber mills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37618/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I am very aware of the serious issues being faced by the forestry sector, and in particular timber mills, due to delays in processing forestry licences and in issuing decision on appeals.  My Department is treating the current situation extremely seriously.  We are committed to addressing the situation and have taken steps to improve matters by means of additional resources, a systematic approach to processing files and the reform of the appeals system. 

In terms of resources, there are currently sixteen full-time equivalent ecologists working on licensing files, compared to one at the same time last year, with sanction in place for an additional eight  permanent ecologists.  My Department is recruiting thirteen Forestry Inspectors, ten of which will be working on licensing files. 

Regarding the backlog of files with the Ecology Unit, a project plan is now in place, which comprises the above-mentioned additional ecology and inspectorate resources; the continuous improvement of business processes; and the establishment of a Project Management Unit to support monitoring, reporting and communicating with applicants, forestry companies and consultants.

The Deputy will be aware that the Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act commenced on Tuesday 6th October.  The new Act, amending the Agriculture Appeals Act, was designed to align forestry licensing appeals process with best practice in other appeals processes.  Among other things, it allows for the Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC) to determine appeals by enabling it to sit in divisions of itself

I have moved quickly to resource the FAC to realise the provisions as set out in the Act and have appointed three Deputy Chairs along with two 2 ordinary members. There are now hearings scheduled for four different FAC Committees. Three additional persons with planning expertise have also been contracted to assist members of the FAC.  This will increase the number of decisions on appeals and give applicants certainty in terms of their licence applications.

My officials conntinue to  process licence applications daily.  In October 2020, my Department issued 301 new licences across afforestation, felling and roads.  Decisions were issued on twenty four Forest Road Licence applications for 6.72km of forest roads and, to last Friday, an additional eighteen decisions issued, for 4.8km.  This brings the total to date this year to 304 licences issued for 111 kms of forest roads. 

In terms of tree felling licences, there were 229 licence issued in October and a further 92 to date in November.  To date this year, licences for 4.1m cubic metres have issued.