Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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736. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the exact date that the details of the new forestry programme will be sent to the European Commission for review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47883/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Minister of State Pippa Hackett met with Commissioners Virginijus Sinkevicius and Janusz Wojciechowski recently to update them on Irish forestry, particularly the extensive public consultation undertaken on the Shared National Vision for Trees, Woods and Forests in Ireland until 2050 and the subsequent development of the new Forest Strategy and Forestry Programme. My Department also actively participates in both the EU Council Working Group on Forestry and the Standing Forestry Committee where relevant forestry matters are discussed. Officials from my Department will shortly be meeting bi-laterally with Commission officials to discuss the draft Programme.

The new Programme forms part of a new Forest Strategy Implementation Plan which is currently being developed. The Forest Strategy Implementation Plan is subject to a Strategic Environmental Assessment/Appropriate Assessment process, and this will include public consultation on the draft Plan and Environmental Report. We expect that this consultation will commence in the coming weeks and once this has concluded the Plan will be sent to the European Commission for review.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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737. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the date that his Department will publish a Forestry Licensing Plan for 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47884/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department published the Forestry Licensing Plan 2022 in February this year. The plan informed stakeholders of our targets for the delivery of afforestation, felling and forest road licences, and of our commitment to reducing the backlog. It represented a year-on-year increase of 30% on 2021, with a target of 5,250 licences.

We are broadly keeping pace with our projections with 3,629 licences issued to the end of September, or 92% of the target for this point in the year. We continue to process files faster than the rate of files being received and the backlog of files, is continuing to steadily reduce. The number is now 1,734, down from 3,713 at the start of Q1, 3,325 at the start of Q2 and 2,121 at the start of Q3.

I see great merit in signalling to forest owners, landowners, and the forest sector our intentions at the beginning of the year which is why I intend to publish a new Forestry Licensing Plan early in 2023.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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738. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of afforestation licences that have been received by his Department that remain to be processed; the length of time that each application has been with his Department in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47885/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department makes available various forestry statistics on its website, particularly the Forestry Divisional Monthly Reports, which may be found here gov.ie - gov.ie - Forestry Division Monthly Reports (www.gov.ie).

Afforestation is a permanent land use change and therefore my Department is required by law to consider potential impacts on the surrounding areas and countryside.

These include issues related to habitat change, and other ecological impacts which must be considered in the process. In addition, afforestation files are often accompanied by numerous submissions from third parties.

The table below shows the applications received for Afforestation that remain to be processed and the length of time each has been with my Department.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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739. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of licences per scheme type which were applied for before 1 January 2021 that remain to be processed by his Department in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47886/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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To date in 2022, there is an overall significant increase on all licensing categories compared with last year. Up to 30th September, 2022 3,629 licences have issued.

July, August and September have shown significant signs of improvement in afforestation licensing and we intend to maintain this momentum.

There are currently 516 licences remaining to be processed of the 1,683 licences predating 2021 that were on hand at the start of 2022. In many of these cases, further information was required from the applicant. We are embarking on an intensive effort to prioritise clearing older files ahead of the new forestry programme.

In the interest of full transparency details of all licences issued by category are available on the weekly dashboard. This is published on the Departmental website and is made available to all interested parties as well as being submitted to the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine each week.

The Department's forestry dashboard is available here: gov.ie - Forest Statistics and Mapping (www.gov.ie).

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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740. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a private forestry association (details supplied) will be invited onto the Forest Policy Group; when such a decision will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47887/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Forestry Policy Group was established in November 2020 to help inform forest policy development in Ireland. The Forestry Policy Group has met on ten occasions and members have also participated in the four Working Groups of Project Woodland, which, as the Deputy may be aware, was established in early 2021 to improve the forestry licensing system and to drive forward the planting of trees under a shared vision for forestry in Ireland.

Several members of the organisation referred to by the Deputy are already members of the Forestry Policy Group.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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741. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the required legislation change will take place enabling the replacement species for the reconstitution of woodlands RUS to be conifers on an area up to ten hectares; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47892/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The introduction of the legislation to remove the requirement for planning permission for Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme projects less than 10ha in size that involve the replacement of broadleaf high forest with conifer species is a matter for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

I understand that his Department completed the first stage in the Strategic Environment Assessment screening process and notified the prescribed statutory consultees on 22nd September 2022. Those statutory consultees have 4 weeks to respond to the notice. An Appropriate Assessment screening process is also currently being undertaken in parallel by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’s Ecological Assessment Unit.

I am hopeful that the legislation can be introduced once these processes have been finalised.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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742. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm that the new forestry programme will be in place from 1 January 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47893/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, my Department has recently published a Shared National Vision for Trees, Woods and Forests in Ireland until 2050. A new Forestry Strategy for Ireland is currently being developed. The draft Forest Strategy to 2030 has been shaped by the extensive public feedback received on the Vision over the last twelve months. This draft Forest Strategy will be subject to a period of public consultation, which is due to commence in the coming weeks.

In parallel, my Department are also currently developing a new Forest Strategy Implementation Plan which will include the next Forestry Programme for the period 2023 - 2027. The Forest Strategy Implementation Plan is subject to a Strategic Environmental Assessment/Appropriate Assessment process, and this will include public consultation on the draft Plan and Environmental Report. We expect that this consultation will commence in the coming weeks.

In parallel we are discussing the proposed programme with the European Commission and with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER). Within that context, we are aiming for a launch date of 1st January 2023 for the Programme.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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743. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the exact date that the consultation will begin for the new forestry programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47894/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, my Department has recently published a Shared National Vision for Trees, Woods and Forests in Ireland until 2050. This Shared National Vision has been informed by a series of extensive consultation methods with the public. These consultations included a public attitudes survey, an online survey, a study of the attitudes of rural communities, a citizens’ assembly style deliberative dialogue, a youth forum, and a series of bilateral meetings with key stakeholders. Individual reports and a summary of all six consultations are available on my Department’s website.

A new Forestry Strategy for Ireland is currently being developed. The draft Forest Strategy to 2030 has been shaped by the extensive public feedback received on the Vision over the last twelve months. This draft Forest Strategy will be subject to a period of public consultation, which is due to commence in the coming weeks.

In parallel my Department is also currently developing a new Forest Strategy Implementation Plan which will include the next Forestry Programme for the period 2023 - 2027. The Forest Strategy Implementation Plan is subject to a Strategic Environmental Assessment/Appropriate Assessment process, and this will include public consultation on the draft Plan and Environmental Report. It is expected that this consultation will commence in the coming weeks.