Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 348 to 352, inclusive, together.

As I advised the Deputy in Parliamentary Question number 247 of 2^ndDecember, my Department received an application for a tree felling licence for the person named in April this year. The Harvest Plan and map was received in May. As advised the application is with the Ecology Unit .

There are now 27 ecologists deployed to my Department. I previously noted that a decision should issue within approximately two to three months, a timeframe that includes a mandatory 30-day public consultation period.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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353. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress to date in eliminating unacceptable delays in processing applications for forest planting and felling; the additional measures that will be introduced in 2022 to speed up the processing of such applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61013/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Tackling the backlog in forestry licenses remains a key priority for me, Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, and the rest of the Department. While the situation we find ourselves in is far from ideal, I am pleased to report significant progress has been made in the past year, particularly on felling and road licences.

The investment in resources and continual improvement has had a positive impact with a significant increase in licence output in recent months. This has brought our output to 3,718 licences issued to date this year. I am confident that we will meet our target of 4,000 licences by year end which will be a 60% increase on last year.

Our road licensing output for this year will be double the target set for us in the Climate Action Plan. The volume of timber licensed will be 8 million m3 this year. This is 60% higher than last year and the highest volume ever licensed in a single year.

We are making progress under Project Woodland, with the second interim report published at the end of October.

In terms of licensing, an important initiative is the in-depth review of the forestry licensing system being carried out by a consultant with legal and environmental expertise. It will review the existing statutory framework for the licensing of forestry activities in relation to environmental and public participation obligations in order that practical advice can be provided to the Department on how to work more efficiently within the existing legal framework. That report is expected at end February next.

In terms of afforestation, outputs are not where I’d like them to be but there are signs of improvement. Officials are prioritising the assessment of afforestation licences on hand, using the same system as was applied to felling licences and 10 ecologists are now dedicated to afforestation, with more to be recruited.

We will build on this years momentum in 2022 and will implement any and all practical process improvements which result from the review and analysis in train under Project Woodland. I remain fully committed to delivering a licensing system which will meets the needs of the sector and of society as a whole.