Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1946. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the monthly targets for private licences with ecology input excluding Coillte felling licences for each month for the remainder of 2021 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14057/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Last year, the Department established a Project Management Unit to oversee the backlog of forestry licences that were awaiting assessment by an Ecologist and established monthly targets up to February this year, which are reflected in a published dashboard.  

Project Woodland which was recently launched by my colleague, Minister of State Senator Pippa Hackett, will oversee the Mackinnon report on improvements to our licencing processes and procedures. This includes the setting of targets which will now be dealt with by the Working Groups set up under the project.  The project revolves around four Working Groups, which will focus on the licence backlog; the future of forestry; devising a fit-for-purpose organisational structure; and, streamlining the licensing process.  It is being overseen by a Project Board, chaired by DAFM Secretary General Brendan Gleeson, and reports to Minister-of State Hackett.

Specifically, Working Group 1 has been charged with tackling the backlog. A key deliverable for this Group will be publishing a process for reducing the backlog to achieve targets which the Group will agree on.  These new targets will be incorporated into a new dashboard and published when they are available.