Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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716. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the expenditure by the forest service of his Department is in line with budget for April 2022, thereby ensuring there is no underspend again in his Department for 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25927/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Expenditure for April 2022 was €3,244,838.37 which is slightly under the profiled amount of €3,304,580.  The remainder of the forestry budget has been apportioned to meet anticipated budgetary needs during the year. The budget allocation provides for new planting, the servicing of existing afforestation contracts and payments in relation to forestry support schemes. The Deputy will be aware that afforestation scheme is demand-led. My Department will continue to closely monitor expenditure versus anticipated spend throughout 2022.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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717. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department is advising applicants that reconstitution and underplanting scheme licence applications will be withdrawn by a defined date in cases in which such applications are associated with ash dieback given that his Department is still discussing a resolution with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26096/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As part of the Forestry Licensing Plan 2022, which  was published earlier this year, we have committed to refocusing on the delivery on approvals for the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (RUS) (Ash Dieback).

It is the case that many RUS applications are screened in for Appropriate Assessment and are referred to ecology.  Of these, any that propose replacing the ash crop with conifer species currently require planning permission. 

My Department is continuing to engage  with the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage, with a view to amending legislation to remove the planning permission requirement in cases involving the replacement of broadleaf with conifers on sites under 10 ha. Once the proposed amendment is in place affected cases on hand will be processed in line with the legislation; we foresee no necessity for applicants to withdraw applications in order to avail of the new requirements.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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718. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the dates on which his Department was in communication with Coillte regarding the recently announced strategy and intention to afforest 100,000 ha; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26097/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Coillte advised the  Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine of its proposed approach during the development of their new forestry strategic vision, which was launched on 21st April. Together with my colleague Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsbility for the sector, I attended a presentation by Coillte on its proposed stategic vision on 13th January last. Coillte had previously presented to Minister Hackett on 22nd November 2021.

Coillte is represented on the Forestry Policy Group and in Working Group 2 of Project Woodland, which is providing input into the development of the new national forestry strategy. Coillte's participation in the Working Group has facilitated close alignment between the proposed new national forestry strategy and their own strategic vision.

I am committed to working with all our stakeholders to substantially increase our afforestation rates over the coming years and Coillte will have a significant role to play in this regard. My Department continues to work with Coillte in exploring all available options to facilitate greater involvement by Coillte in afforestation.

I look forward to the detailed consultation that Coillte will undertake with stakeholders on their Strategic Vision and I welcome the stated intention in that vision to optimise their contribution to Ireland’s climate and biodiversity targets.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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719. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of Coillte roads approved in the weekly dashboard, for week ending the 6 May 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26098/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Forest road applications are received and decided daily.  Applications received from Coillte are treated the same as applications from private individuals.  For week ending 6th May, 12 forest road licences were issued to private applicants and seven were issued to Coillte.