Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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221. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to detail in tabular form, for each of the past five years, the percentage of private felling licences and the percentage of Coillte felling licences that have been approved by his Department within six months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25477/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has delivered considerable improvements in the processing of all forestry licences as well as reductions in the time taken to process newer files and last year we had another significant year-on-year increase in the number of licences issued. We issued 4,713 licences which was 1,100 more than applications received.

We continue to issue and accept felling licence applications and have to 19th May this year issued 1,229 felling licences since 1st January. In 2022, we issued 817 more felling licences than felling applications received. Furthermore, last year we issued record levels of felling licences at 3,293 for 9.6 million cubic metres of wood, or 46,027 Hectares. These licences have up to 10 year timelines and are being used by forest owners providing work for forestry contractors and supplying sawmills.

In the last two years, 48% of all felling licences issued to private forest owners and 52% to Coillte. In 2022, this figure was closer with 1,686 (51%) felling licences issuing to Coillte and 1,607 (49%) issuing to private landowners.

Licences issued to Private and Coillte from in each of the last five years.

Along with Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, I remain fully committed to delivering a licensing system which will meets the needs of the sector and of society.