Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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250. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason road planting, thinning and felling licences are not active since the start of 2023; the measures that are to be taken by those who are in limbo since December 2022 when their licences expired (details supplied); when they can expect all licences to be renewed and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8992/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine continues to issue and accept felling licence applications and has to date this year issued 404 felling licences. Furthermore last year we issued record levels of felling licences at 3,293 for 9.6 million cubic metres of wood. These licences have up to 10 year timelines and are being used by forest owners providing work for forestry contractors and supplying sawmills.

As regards afforestation and roads, we are accepting applications and issuing licences for non-grant aided roads and planting. We have also has put in place an Interim Afforestation Scheme (via De Minimis) and an Interim Forest Road Scheme (via De Minimis) which provides the option of immediate planting and/or roading from January 2023 for those with valid grant aided approvals to end December 2022.To date we have granted 164 afforestation applications representing 1,050 hectares and 32 Road road applications under the De Minimis Scheme.

For those that wish to wait for the launch of the Forestry Programme 2023 -2027, unused valid Afforestation licences are being extended until the end of 2023 to give landowners every opportunity to plant and they will attract increased premium rates and a longer term of 20 years for farmers.

In terms of afforestation and road applications which were applied for before 31st December, 2022, but not issued, we are continuing to process these so that they can transition into the new Programme as seamlessly as possible when it opens.

The new Forestry Programme is currently being assessed by the European Commission for State Aid approval. We are in regular and active contact with the Commission so that this process may be progressed. It is a matter of the highest priority for my Department that this €1.3 billion programme commence.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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251. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is of the view that his Department should take on the responsibility of submitting form 1 forestry applications for grant-aided schemes, in light of the amount of work it is taking for foresters to do, to allow foresters instead complete ground work (details supplied). [8997/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Minister of State Hackett and I secured funding of over €1.3 billion for the next Forestry programme 2023-2027, which will support the best-funded Forestry Programme to date in Ireland.

I am acutely aware of the issues currently facing forestry companies in terms of their financial situation pending the securing of State Aid approval from the Commission. Securing that State Aid approval is top priority and my officials are engaging intensively with the Commission in order to advance the approval.

I would also draw the Deputy’s attention to the fact that at the end of 2022 there were over 1,000 approved afforestation licences with a total of 7,500 hectares unutilised and in advance of the new Programme being approved I have facilitated those farmers and other landowners with valid afforestation licences by allowing them to immediately opt into an Interim Afforestation Scheme (via De Minimis), which offers the same increases in grant aid and premiums. There is currently over 1,000 hectares of land where the applicant has opted in for the interim scheme.

In respect of the costs incurred by farmers and other landowners granted an afforestation licence where the Department has required or requires a report from an external ecologist or external archaeologist to be commissioned.

In July of last year, the Department launched a supplemental grant scheme for such afforestation projects: the Environmental Report Grant. This scheme provides for a payment of up to €2,050 at Form 2 stage where a landowner and their agent submits an environment report their payment application.

The Environmental Report Grant has been retained for farmers and other landowners with valid afforestation licences who opt into the Interim Afforestation Scheme (via De Minimis) and it is also intended to operate the scheme as part of the new Forestry Programme.

There are many reasons why it would be wholly inappropriate for my Department staff to be responsible for formulating and submitting an applications on behalf of a landowner and then to be also the assessor of those applications.

For example, in the case of afforestation, this is a form of development subject to the EIA Directive and the provisions of this Directive set out that it is the responsibility of the applicant or their agent to provide the information on the characteristics of the project and its likely significant effects on the environment and which is then taken into account, together with the results of consultations, by the Competent Authority before issuing any consent; and that Competent Authorities are required to perform the duties arising from the Directive in an objective manner and not allow themselves to be in situations giving rise to a conflict of interest.