Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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1115. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the targets of his Department for the planting of forestry in 2022 considering that in order to merely keep the national forestry acreage constant 12,000 hectares would need to be planted in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13934/22]

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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1116. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of forestry licences issued to farmers in January and February 2022 by type of licence in tabular form given that in order to merely keep the national forestry acreage constant 12,000 hectares would need to be planted in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13935/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1115 and 1116 together.

The Climate Action Plan 2021 had identified an annual target of 8,000 hectares for afforestation. I do acknowledge that this is an ambitious target, given the level of planting last year. However along with Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, my priority this year is on increasing the number of afforestation licences issued.

We intend to double the number of afforestation licences to 1,040, which on average would represent 8,000 hectares. We have in addition 5,200 hectares already approved which has not been planted and we have recently written to applicants to remind them to use their approval before it expires. We will also be looking to all involved in forestry to promote the benefits of planting, especially as a complementary activity to farming, and we will be doing our part to communicate this message widely to all parts of society.

In relation to January and February 2022 105 afforestation licences were issued and of those 64 were issued to farmers.

Full details of all licences issued by category is available on the weekly dashboard found at www.gov.ie/en/publication/3b8b5-2022-forestry-weekly-dashboard/

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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1117. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of afforestation licences that are awaiting approval within his Department; the length of time that these licences have been in his Department by number of months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13936/22]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1119. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of private felling licences in the backlog; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13960/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1117 and 1119 together.

My Department has, through Project Woodland, established a definition of the backlog, which is anything on hand over 120 days. Therefore, the current licences on hand, broken down by category and those over 120 days is indicated in the table below.

These cohorts of applications have reduced by 29% since the end of last August, which is a significant reduction in the number of applications awaiting decision.

The Forestry Licensing Plan for this year contains a target of 5,250 licences issues, which is a year-on-year increase of 30% including:

- A higher priority will be given to afforestation licences for 2022 with a 107% increase in output up to 1,040.

- There will be a year-on-year increase of 48% of private felling, roads and afforestation files. Coillte felling licences will maintain the levels they achieved in 2021.

Weekending 11th March

The number of months licences are on hand is shown below.

Along with Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, my priority this year is to deliver on the ambition outlined in the Licensing Plan and to issue 5,250 licences, meeting the projected targets for each category of licence within that. This will have the effect of reducing the backlog and the time taken to issue a licence.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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1118. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of afforestation licences that have been issued in the past year with no planting taking place between the date of issuance and 1 March 2022; the combined acreage of these licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13937/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In 2021, approvals for 502 afforestation licences for some 4,606 hectares were given for planting, while only 2,016 hectares were planted, and we do need to significantly increase this figure. There are 5,200 ha in the system, which have a valid approval, but have not gone ahead to planting. We have written to applicants with unused licences to remind them that their licence is still valid and to encourage them to consider using them before their approval lapses.

Communication and positive messaging about the benefits of afforestation is also crucial. On most farms, planting can comfortably co-exist with livestock enterprises and can significantly increase the net income from the holding.

Farmers who plant trees on a portion of their lands, can continue to engage in their traditional farm enterprises. They can also continue to receive their Basic Payment on planted lands, and will receive grants to cover establishment costs, generous premia over 15 years and substantial tax free income at thinning and harvesting time.

We must also work together to communicate this positive message consistently, especially those in direct contact with farmers and landowners.. I look forward to working closely with foresters and farmers to do this.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1120. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the weekly licences issued for the month of February 2022 was in decline on a week by week basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13961/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department published the Forestry Licensing Plan 2022, recently, which may be found here gov.ie - Forestry Licensing Plan 2022 (www.gov.ie). The targets for each of the licence types are indicated in the table below, with the weekly average shown. While the weekly overall target of forestry licences to issue is 101, this may fluctuate from week-to-week, but overall we aim to minimise these fluctuations and to issue licences on a consistent basis.

This target of 5,250 licences is a year-on-year increase of 30% including:

- A higher priority will be given to afforestation licences for 2022 with a 107% increase in output up to 1,040.

- There will be a year-on-year increase of 48% of private felling, roads and afforestation files. Coillte felling licences will maintain the levels they achieved in 2021.

- The Department will also refocus on the delivery of most approvals from several schemes including Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (RUS) (Ash Dieback), the Reconstitution of Woodland Scheme (Frost), the Native Woodland Scheme and a proposed small-scale planting scheme for up to one hectare of native species.

As regards output to 11th March, overall we are on target (based on the weekly average) as shown below:

Along with Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, my priority this year is delivery of the 2022 licensing plan.