Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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775. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Woodland Environmental Fund will continue in the next forestry programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58869/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department’s Woodland Environment Fund (WEF), which was launched in 2018, facilitates the planting of more native woodlands in Ireland. It does so by providing a platform that allows for businesses to get involved with landowners to help create new native woodlands. WEF funding is a once-off single payment of €1,000/ha paid by the business to the landowner in exchange for being associated with the individual native woodland.

The draft Forest Strategy and Forest Strategy Implementation Plan which includes the next Forestry Programme measures are subject to an ongoing 6-week public consultation process which concludes today the 29th of November. The continuation of the Woodland Environmental Fund is included as a measure in the Forest Creation Intervention of the draft Programme. Stakeholders and interested parties have had the opportunity to review the measures and Schemes that are being proposed and to submit their feedback.

I am committed to working with all our stakeholders to substantially increase our afforestation rates over the next decade. As the Deputy may be aware, I have secured a package of €1.318 billion for forestry which will support the biggest and best-funded Forestry Programme ever in Ireland and which will allow us to offer new and improved rates to those who undertake planting and sustainable forest management. I believe that the Woodland Environmental Fund is an initiative that can complement the attractive afforestation premium rates that will be offered by my Department by offering an extra incentive to landowners who make the decision to establish a new native woodland.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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776. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the forestry service of his Department will achieve all the targets for his forestry licensing plan for 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58870/22]

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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790. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will achieve the issuing of the target number of private felling licences as set out in his Department’s forestry licensing plan 2022, given that his Department has only issued 78% of the target number of licences to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59231/22]

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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791. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will achieve the issuing of the target number of forest road licences as set out in the forestry licensing plan 2022, given that his Department has only issued 79% of the target number of licences to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59232/22]

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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792. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will achieve the issuing of the target number of afforestation licences as set out in the forestry licensing plan 2022, given that his Department has only issued 61% of the target number of licences to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59233/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 776 and 790 to 792, inclusive, together.

When we published our Forestry Licensing Plan for 2022, we set an ambitious target of 5,250 licences, an increase of 30% on 2021. In line with this, I am pleased to advise that we have seen considerable improvements in the issuance of forestry licence this year.

To 25th November 2022, we have issued 4,360 licences which is 92% of our expected output at this point in the year and there are currently 992 approved afforestation licences with just under 7,336 hectares ready for planting.

The backlog in licences overall has reduced from 6,000 in August 2021, to 3,700 in January of this year and now stands at 2,042 at 25th November 2022. We are issuing more licences than applications received, and this means that the backlog continues to drop, with faster turnaround times for new applicants.

We set individual targets across licensing categories. In terms of our targets in the year-to date, up to the 25th November, we are at 90% of our target for roads, 89% for private felling. I acknowledge that afforestation figures are not quite keeping pace with other categories and are at 69% of year-to-date target, but is significantly up on last year. We have embarked on an intensive effort to prioritise afforestation with an aim of clearing older files ahead of the new forestry programme.

My Department will continue to process all types of licence applications for the remainder of the year, to ensure that as many licences, of all types, continue to be issued and that we come as close as possible to the licensing plan targets.

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.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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777. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason there are more than 30 cases waiting for arbitration (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58999/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Coillte is a private limited company established under the Forestry Act 1988 and is operationally independent from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I have referred the matter to Coillte for direct follow-up with the Deputy.