Forestry contractors warn they have begun laying off staff as they are running out of harvesting work.

This comes despite a backlog of mature forestry waiting to be harvested and sold. It is because the issuing of felling licences remains choked by third party appeals and submissions.

Roland Forestry in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, has 24 machines and 35 staff.

“We don’t have much more work on,” said founder Alfie Neville. “We laid off four men in October. We have four or five machines parked up now and there’ll be more parked up by the end of this week. The same licence delays are also stopping planting and forestry roads. Sawmills are beginning to be affected.”

He also has a commercial operation in Scotland.

“It’s operating under the same EU directives, yet there aren’t the same problems over there.”

MF Tree Services in Tipperary has machinery repayments totalling €11,000 per month.

“I’ve nothing ahead of me,” said owner Michael Fahey.

“One man out of our 17 is back to work. I’m trying to hold off the others 16 for a few weeks. We’re in serious trouble with the bank.

“The Department was warned three years ago that a system allowing anyone to object to licences couldn’t work. But they allowed this to come about. We may block Dublin if the system isn’t revamped immediately.”

Gerry Harte and Sons Ltd in Co Leitrim said it has three days of harvesting work to finish in Co Roscommon but nothing after that.

“This time last year I had four months’ work ahead of me,” said Gerry Harte. “I have bank repayments totalling €8,500 per month on two machines. I’m extremely worried.”

Over 70 of his farmer and landowner clients are waiting for felling licences. A full-time employee left in October but has not been replaced. Harte is now operating with his two sons.