Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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1987. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a forestry application by a person (details supplied) will be processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1812/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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An application for an afforestation licence and the Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme was received in May 2021.  Parts of the site required exclusion due to the type of vegetation found.  An updated bio map was submitted, with the areas excluded.  In addition to this there is the possibility of Marsh Fritillary present on site.  A site survey for this butterfly was received in December, 2021. 

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) in their response to a referral sent, requested that they receive any additional information received or prepared in relation to this application, for their review.  The Marsh Fritillary survey has been sent to them, and we are awaiting their response.

The application is currently with my Department’s Ecology Unit, who will complete their assessment of the application, once NPWS reviews the survey. 

When that preliminary assessment is finalised, the application will be opened for a mandatory public consultation period of 30 days.  I expect that a decision would issue within two to three months of receipt of the NPWS assessment, subject to the information provided being in order and no further work being needed in response to the public consultation process.