Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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335. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of afforestation licenses issued by his Department in 2021 which were for native woodland establishment; the number of afforestation licences issued in 2021 which were for GPC3 planting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8953/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Department issued 4,050 forestry licences in 2021, which is an increase of 56% on the number issued in 2020. In terms of afforestation, the number of  licences issued remained static. This resulted in  526 afforestation licences being issued for 4,606 hectares. Ireland must improve on this, and the Department has published licence projections for 2022 which prioritises increasing the number of afforestation licences being issued. I intend to double the number to 1,040 afforestation licences.

Last year, my Department issued 278 afforestation licences for GPC3 covering 2,423ha and 280 afforestation licences for native woodland establishment 1,461ha.  A forestry licence can of course have more than one GPC included in the application.