Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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941. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 679 of 21 September 2021, the dates on which the applications which were returned were received by his Department in tabular form; the reason such files were not returned to the applicants at the time of receipt of the applications if sub-standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51237/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy refers to a triage exercise carried out on tree felling licence applications on hand.  This exercise examined the undecided applications received from 1^stMay, 2017. In 50% of the files reviewed, the harvest plan was deemed to be of sufficient quality and therefore proceeded. This has been the basis for the very high number of felling files issued to private applicants recently.

Where the harvest plan was found to have gaps or where no harvest plan was submitted these were returned to the registered forester (or forest owner where there was no registered forester) with individual feedback on how  this could be rectified. These referrals were made over a few days starting on 24^thJune 2021.

Some of these are now being returned to the Department and are progressing to licences and I would urge any foresters or applicants with outstanding requests for information to return them as soon as possible.

The above exercise is now a permanent feature of our approach to processing felling files and will lead to better processing of such files.

The table below indicates the number of applications concerned for the year received.  A further breakdown by date received is not available.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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942. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there are plans going forward to look at the system of issuing licences for thinning and clearfell in forestry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51243/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Forestry Act, 2014 provides the mechanism by which tree felling licences may be applied for and granted.  The Act allows felling licences to have a validity period of up to 10 years, with the possibility of an extension, on a case-by-case basis for up to a further five years.

In preparing an application for a tree felling licence, forest owners or their agents, decide on the management of the forest.  Consideration is given to the number of  operations to be undertaken.  The validity period of the licence is also set out in the application.  There is no limit to the number of separate operations that may be taken under any licence, however, all must be clearly set out on application. A licence may therefore include more than one thinning event and subsequent clear fell of the site, during the validity of the licence.