Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The production of licences is a team effort and requires administrative staff, forestry Inspectors and, when required, archaeologists and ecologists. It is estimated that ecologists are involved in around 75 to 80% of all licence files, but they also work on other non-licence files and other ecology-related activities. 4,713 licences issued in 2022 as well as other non-licence scheme approvals.

My Department has invested heavily in additional ecology resources, both permanent and contract ecologists, in recent years. As most files referred to ecology sometimes cover a variety of issues including ornithology, all DAFM ecologists employed cover all issues including the ornithology issues, with some specialising more than others in ornithology. For this reason ecology work covering ornithology is not broken down and accounted for separately.

The total number of ecologists working in DAFM on forestry fluctuates. Currently DAFM employ 9 permanent ecologists and approximately 22 Full time equivalent contract ecologists for forestry licences and forestry schemes.

In 2022 there was a total spend on external ecology resources of €2.2m.

To date in 2023 there has been a spend on external ecology resources of some €693,000.

In relation to the processing of forestry applications, my Department have contracts in place with Fehilly Timoney Ltd, Environmental Facilitation Ltd, Southern Scientific Services Ltd, Envirico Ltd, North West Ecology Ltd, Applied Ecology Ireland Ltd. and Enfor Ltd.