Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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149. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to address the long waiting time farmers face to obtain felling licences, which are taking months and even years to process despite many farmers and foresters having these trees on the ground, losing the ability to salvage timber; and if the farmers and foresters will be compensated for the lost trees. [7893/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Following the recent storms, Storm Darragh and Storm Éowyn, my Department has accelerated the process for issuing a felling licence and to prioritise those licences needed to deal with fallen trees. We have issued guidance to forest owners and registered foresters advising them to identify applications needed for storm-damaged sites. It is the case that over 63% of affected forests have licences in place already, with another 11% in the system, prioritised for processing. I would encourage those remaining 25% of affected forest owners to engage with their foresters and to submit a licence application to my Department as soon as possible where it will be prioritised.

My Department has been meeting the timelines set out in the Farmers Charter, with a majority felling applications now being cleared within six months. It is our intention to deal with the wind-blow applications as speedily as possible, so that forest owners can plan for the harvest and sale of their timber.My Department is currently examining all potential options to support those affected. However, without prejudging the outcome of these deliberations, I want to reassure affected forest owners that they will not be disadvantaged by undertaking clearance or replanting now.