Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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90. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures that he is taking in response to backlogs in the forestry licensing system. [53208/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to advise that due to continued high output in forestry licencing this year, we have seen reductions in the backlog of forestry licences.

The backlog has reduced from 6,000 in August 2021, to 3,700 in January of this year and now stands at 1,639. We are issuing more licences than applications received and this means that the backlog continues to drop, with faster turnaround times for new applicants.

At the start of the year, we published a Forestry Licensing Plan for 2022 which contained a target of 5,250 licences, a year on year increase of 30%.

To 21st October 2022, we have issued 3,914 licences which is 92% of our expected output at this point in the year and there are currently 953 approved afforestation licences with just under 7,000 hectares ready for planting.

These improved outputs have been achieved through a commitment to continuous improvement, as well as through the implementation of measures recommended under Project Woodland.

As the Deputy may be aware, I established this Project in 2021 to improve the forestry licensing system, to deal with the backlog and to drive forward the planting of trees under a shared vision for forestry in Ireland.

Work is on-going with the implementation of the 57 recommendations arising from a business process review carried out under Project Woodland.

An Agile Implementation Group is implementing system solutions, with 71% of the recommendations either complete or in progress. This builds on earlier improvements to our processes.

These improvements have facilitated the preparation of Appropriate Assessment Reports by my Department, which removes this burden from applicants in most cases. Associated with this and in order to assist foresters in submitting quality applications, we provided habitat map training and training for ecologists.

Furthermore, a pre-application discussion pilot has been completed and we now intend to deliver this at a national level, along with the new Forestry Programme. All of these measures are aimed at improving the quality of applications received and optimising the time of those assessing applications.

In tandem with reviewing processes, I have substantially increased the resources available to process forestry licences, and the positive impact of this can be seen in the increased number of licences issuing.

In addition, a legal and regulatory review of forestry licensing was carried out by Philip Lee Consultants.

Philip Lee reviewed and critically analysed the existing legal framework for the licensing of forestry activities and focused on practical and implementable options for streamlining processes and procedures.

The Project Board for Project Woodland has responded to these recommendations and the Department will now finalise a plan for the implementation of the Report, with a certain number of actions already underway.

I welcome what we have achieved so far and the measures we have adopted to address the backlog. I look forward to continuing this positive momentum and remain committed to a licensing system that is fit for purpose which will underpin an ambitious new Forestry Programme.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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91. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures that he is taking to increase the low national rate of afforestation. [53209/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Increasing the area under forestry in the country remains a key priority for me and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAMF). I am acutely aware of the afforestation target of 8,000 hectares per year set out in the Climate Action Plan and the fact that afforestation rates have been declining in recent years. I established Project Woodland in 2021 in response to this challenge, to drive forward the planting of trees under a shared vision for forestry in Ireland.

As the Deputy may know, the current Forestry Programme provides supports for afforestation including grants and premiums and covers the cost of establishing a forest. Despite strong support for landowners over a period of 15 years, we have not achieved the level of planting anticipated. I acknowledge that delays in the issuing of afforestation licences have had an impact on afforestation rates in recent years.

We are working on changing the narrative and the extensive public consultation carried out this year indicates that many in society are positively disposed towards trees and wish to see more of them.

I am pleased to say that we have made much progress in relation to the licensing issue. There has been a 47% increase in afforestation licences issued up to 30th September this year as compared to the same period last year.

We set ourselves an ambitious target of 5,250 licences this year, in our Forestry Licensing Plan, and we are at 92% of expected output at this stage of the year.

Specifically in relation to afforestation, by 21st October 2022, my Department had received 339 fresh applications, while 578 afforestation licences have issued, in fact there are currently 953 approved afforestation licences with just under 7,000 hectares ready for planting. Furthermore, the pace of processing of these applications has picked up significantly.

I am hopeful that we will continue the positive momentum on the issuing of licences and that going forward licence issue will prove no barrier to afforestation applications.

In order to realise our ambitions in terms of afforestation, considerable work that has been undertaken this year in developing a vision for a new future for forestry in Ireland. I am referring to the recently published Shared National Vision for Trees, Woods and Forests in Ireland until 2050 , which was informed by a series of extensive engagements and consultation. The Vision has informed a new Forestry Strategy for Irelandwhich has been developed by Working Group 2 of Project Woodland.

In parallel, a draft Forest Strategy Implementation Planhas also been developed to facilitate the initial steps in the implementation of the Forest Strategy.

The draft Forest StrategyandForest Strategy Implementation Planwere published on Tuesday 18^thOctober and are now subject to a six-week public consultation process. This means that stakeholders and interested parties are aware of the measures and Schemes that are being proposed for the next Forestry Programme and may submit their feedback on all elements.

Alongside this public consultation process, the Department is currently engaged in detailed discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to agree funding.

I intend to publish the financial supports for the new Programme at the earliest opportunity.

It is my intention to introduce a programme which will deliver for society, for landowners and for the forestry sector in Ireland. Its objective will be to expand the national forest estate on both private and public land.

I hope to incentivise farmers, in particular, to re-engage with forestry and we hope to offer increases in grants and premiums to enable land-use change.

A comprehensive and well-subscribed forestry programme has the potential to deliver lasting benefits for climate change, biodiversity, wood production, economic development and quality of life.