Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

270. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the additional cost of external ecologists hired by the Forest Service; the agreed duration of their contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13791/21]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

271. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the external ecologist engaged by the Forest Service are operating to set targets, piece rate or hourly rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13792/21]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 270 and 271 together.

My Department has engaged external contracts as they are essential to delivery of our licencing targets. The ecologists are part of the overall licencing team which also includes archaeologists and forestry inspectors and administrative staff. The targets set for this team collectively are the overall licencing targets for the Department which are 4,500 new licences this year.

The Department signed a one year contract on the 17^thJune 2020 with an option to extend for a further two years. Under this contract, five full time ecologists were made available to the Department. In the event that this contract runs for three years, the total potential cost of the contract would be €1.5m, based on a per diem rate for each ecologist.

Further contracts were signed on 12^thFebruary 2021 in relation to five independent ecologists with each contract expiring on the 31st December 2021 with no option to extend. These contracts did not stipulate the provision of full-time services and, therefore, it is difficult to calculate the full cost of these contracts over their duration. However, the average daily rate is €330 and it is expected that some 600 days will be provided by these independent ecologists for the duration of their contracts. Therefore, the estimated costs is in the region of €200,000.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

272. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications for afforestation that have been submitted into the Forest Service that are still waiting for approval; the number of hectares this equals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13803/21]

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

Forestry will play an important role in meeting our environmental objectives under the Climate Action Plan and, in terms of biodiversity, as outlined in the Programme for Government. It is for this reason my Department will be focusing on afforestation applications in the coming weeks. I am mindful of the seasonality associated with afforestation and, therefore, while other forestry licence types will continue to issue, afforestation will be the priority.

Forestry licences continue to be received and issued daily. To 5th March, the area covered by issued afforestation licences was 903ha. There are currently 1,500 applications within my Department’s system, covering 9,600ha, which are at various stages of processing, from the initial application steps, to ready for decision.

In addition, there is another 4,500ha already approved and available to plant. It is up to landowners to decide to plant, once they have received approval to do so, but I would encourage anyone that has approval to arrange financial approval, which is a straightforward process completed by their registered forester and to commence planting.

I recently announced Project Woodland on foot of receiving the Jo O'Hara report and I have moved immediately to implement this. I am confident that the changes presented in there to processes both within my Department and the independent Forestry Appeals Committee, will bear fruit, particularly to give confidence to applicants and potential applicants, that they can receive a timely decision on their afforestation application.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

273. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications for afforestation that are with the Forestry Appeals Committee at present; the number of hectares this equals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13804/21]

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

The Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC) is operationally independent of my Department in the performance of its functions and the scheduling of appeal hearings is a matter for the Chairman of the FAC. I am informed that that there are currently 82 licence appeal applications on hand in respect of the afforestation category representing 930 hectares. Three of these have been heard and are awaiting a decision and 23 are scheduled to be heard by 15th April, 2021.

The FAC hear both oral and non-oral hearing appeals and are currently hearing appeals remotely due to COVID-19 restrictions. The FAC is hearing on average 20 cases per week whereas they were hearing eight per week before the introduction of three new committees in November 2020 New appeals continue to be submitted with 74 received since the introduction of the Forestry legislation. The FAC currently has 298 cases on hand, of which 101 are scheduled for hearing, 46 are already heard and a decision is awaited the final 151 have yet to be scheduled.

It is extremely important that applicants and their forestry companies notify the FAC in advance on appeals which are scheduled so that appeals are only heard on licences which are genuinely going to proceed if granted.