Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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295. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 265, 266 and 267 and 268 of 14 February 2024, to confirm registered ecologists were not permitted to attend the in person training referred to in the answer; if his Department will be providing additional guidance via circulars, updated working documents or other text documents for the assessment of environmental constraints in afforestation (high nature farmland, farmland birds, breeding waders, hen harriers); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11251/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department invited Registered Foresters to attend in person training events on afforestation in relation to the new Forestry Programme in October 2023. These training events included both an indoor and outdoor element and focused on the new environmental requirements and procedures particularly in relation to habitat identification, high nature value farmland, hen harrier and breeding waders. It was designed for the needs of Registered Foresters rather than for ecologists. Whilst ecologists were not necessarily invited to these training events, I understand a small number of private ecologists did attend.

In late October Online training was provided specifically for private ecologists. It differed from that provided to Registered Foresters in that in addition to information on the new requirements, it provided an introduction to the Forestry Programme and information available to Registered Foresters on the online application system iNET.

Further guidance, updates to procedures and training will take place throughout the year.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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296. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No.520 of 13 February 2024, to detail the area of clearfell and thinning licensed per county for 2024, 2025, 2026, for the private sector, identifying broadleaf and conifer separately and the corresponding details for Coillte, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11253/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is directed to the below link:

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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297. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 520 of 13 February 2024, to detail the area of clearfell and thinning that is the subject of a felling licence application to his Department that remains to be licensed per county for 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032, 2033, 2034, for the private sector, identifying broadleaf and conifer separately and the corresponding details for Coillte, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11254/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Felling licence applications may have an operational period of up to 10 years, with timings for harvesting events, whether thinning, clearfell or both, contained at periods within that. The following information has been obtained from Departmental records and where a licence application had both a thinning and clearfell event the hectares to be thinned or clearfelled are shown in their respective years. Some licence application areas may overlap between two counties. Please also note that Coillte licence applications currently only run to 2025 and represent two categories – Broadleaf high forest and Conifer high forest.

As regards Coillte Thinning licence applications, the specific data required to provide a reply in the format requested by the Deputy is not immediately available. However the area covered by Coillte Thinning licence applications, currently with my Department, by county, are provided below.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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298. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the area of clearfell and thinning licensed per county for 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032, 2033, 2034; the details that are available to him on the felling licence application provided by the applicants, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11255/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Felling licences may have an operational period of up to 10 years, with timings for harvesting events, whether thinning, clearfell or both, contained at periods within that. The following information has been obtained from Departmental records and where a licence had both a thinning and clearfell event the hectares to be thinned or clearfelled are shown in their respective years. Some licenced areas may overlap between two counties. Please also note that Coillte licences currently only run to 2025 and represent two categories – Broadleaf high forest and Conifer high forest.

The table below represents all clearfell events (both Coillte and private) as notified in licences up to 2034. It also represents all private thinning events as notified in licences up to 2034. The second table below references Coillte thinning licences.

As regards Coillte Thinning licences, the data needed to provide a reply in the format requested by the Deputy is not available to my Department. However the area covered by Coillte Thinning licences , currently with my Department, by county, are provided below, up to the period 2034.