Written answers

Thursday, 3 December 2020

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Forestry Sector

Photo of Michael Healy-RaeMichael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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392. 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. [40926/20]

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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A tree felling licence application was received by my Department, from the person named in November 2019.

Every application for a forestry licence must be carefully assessed to ensure that any potential effects that the proposed operations may have on the surrounding countryside and environment are considered. For this reason, the application has been referred to my Department’s Ecology Unit.

As you may be aware, there is a backlog of licence applications that require an Appropriate Assessment (AA). My Department has put in place a detailed project plan and considerable logistics for dealing with this backlog which includes recruitment of additional ecologists, forestry inspectors and administrative staff where required.

Submitting a Natura Impact Statement (NIS) for this licence would significantly reduce the length of time it would take for the Department to complete the AA process for this application. The NIS must be prepared by a suitably qualified person at the applicant’s own expense.

On receipt of a satisfactory NIS, the length of time it would take to complete the appropriate process is estimated to be between two and three months.

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