Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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599. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 538 of 25 May 2021, the project manager of Project Woodland (details supplied) has stated that the Assistant Secretary is the project sponsor for Project Woodland; if he will explain the role of the project sponsor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37235/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Project Woodland, under the leadership of Minister of State Hackett, who has responsibility for forestry, is an initiative to tackle issues in forestry in Ireland and to promote and encourage woodland creation.

It involves four different Working Groups reporting to Minister Hackett through a Project Manager and a Project Board. The project Board is being chaired by the Secretary General.

The Project Sponsor is the Assistant Secretary General who has responsibility for forestry within the Department which includes the delivery of actions under under Project Woodland. A specific project manager has been recruited to assist on the implementation of the project.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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600. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1199 of 15 June 2021, if the establishment of native woodlands on Bord na Móna bog will be included in the climate action afforestation targets of 8,000 hectares annually; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37236/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Forests which are 0.1 hectares or more in size, have the capacity to reach at least five metres in height and with a minimum canopy cover of at least 20% are accounted and reported under Ireland's international climate change reporting requirements and are counted against the target of 8,000 hectares.

Any existing and new tree planting measures proposed which satisfy these criteria will be counted and this would include the establishment of new native woodlands on former industrial peatlands.  

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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601. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1200 of 15 June 2021, if Coillte felling licence requirements for 2021 were prioritised over private licences applications awaiting decisions from his Department since 2016, 2017 and 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37237/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The issuing of tree felling licences in 2020 was relatively balanced with 52% of felling licences issuing to Coillte and 48% to private applicants (in volume terms).  This year, the output of tree felling licences is slightly in favour of private licences at 51%.

Decisions on Coillte felling applications are subject to the same assessment, public consultation and appeals process as decisions on private sector applications.