Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has said he and his department are engaged in a “major triage operation” to assess the backlog of forestry felling applications that is delaying harvesting for both farmers and contractors.
Speaking in the Dáil this week, Minister Creed said his department was recruiting additional staff for the forestry inspectorate, as well as engaging external environmental consultants revise the assessment of applications and train forestry inspectors.
Triage
“A major triage operation is also ongoing to categorise the large number of files currently on hand for consideration by the in-house ecology team,” he told Offaly independent TD Carol Nolan.
She had raised the issue of felling delays among farmers, forestry contractors and sawmill operators.
“The capacity to fell trees if and when necessary is vital to farmers being able to maximise productivity and land use. There is serious concern among farmers, forestry contractors and landowners about the unacceptable delays in getting these felling licences,” she told the minister.
“I understand that some of the delays in issuing these licences have been due to serial objectors,” Nolan said.
Impact
“The legislation dealing with this matter needs to be changed. We cannot have serial objectors lodging objections, which are negatively impacting on farmers, contractors with significant investments, sawmills and local economies in rural communities. We need a mechanism to deal with that because we cannot jeopardise employment in rural counties.”
We cannot have serial objectors lodging objections, which are negatively impacting on farmers, contractors
Responding, Minister Creed said he was “doing everything” to resolve the backlog.
“I am fully aware that this situation is causing difficulties, especially for landowners and forestry contractors. I appreciate that whether it is for afforestation, forestry roads, thinning licences or clearfell, licensing has implications throughout the supply chain,” the minister said.
“I assure the house that departmental officials are actively working towards alleviating the current temporary disruption.”
Licences issued
He said that forestry licences continue to be issued, albeit at a slower rate than would be expected.
“However, it has been a good year overall for felling licences and to the end of November my department had issued just over 4,000 tree felling licences, which is still higher than any previous year and is 10% higher than the total for last year. This week, for instance, we will issue around 100 felling licences,” the Minister said.
Read more on the forestry felling delays in next week's Irish Farmers Journal.
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Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has said he and his department are engaged in a “major triage operation” to assess the backlog of forestry felling applications that is delaying harvesting for both farmers and contractors.
Speaking in the Dáil this week, Minister Creed said his department was recruiting additional staff for the forestry inspectorate, as well as engaging external environmental consultants revise the assessment of applications and train forestry inspectors.
Triage
“A major triage operation is also ongoing to categorise the large number of files currently on hand for consideration by the in-house ecology team,” he told Offaly independent TD Carol Nolan.
She had raised the issue of felling delays among farmers, forestry contractors and sawmill operators.
“The capacity to fell trees if and when necessary is vital to farmers being able to maximise productivity and land use. There is serious concern among farmers, forestry contractors and landowners about the unacceptable delays in getting these felling licences,” she told the minister.
“I understand that some of the delays in issuing these licences have been due to serial objectors,” Nolan said.
Impact
“The legislation dealing with this matter needs to be changed. We cannot have serial objectors lodging objections, which are negatively impacting on farmers, contractors with significant investments, sawmills and local economies in rural communities. We need a mechanism to deal with that because we cannot jeopardise employment in rural counties.”
We cannot have serial objectors lodging objections, which are negatively impacting on farmers, contractors
Responding, Minister Creed said he was “doing everything” to resolve the backlog.
“I am fully aware that this situation is causing difficulties, especially for landowners and forestry contractors. I appreciate that whether it is for afforestation, forestry roads, thinning licences or clearfell, licensing has implications throughout the supply chain,” the minister said.
“I assure the house that departmental officials are actively working towards alleviating the current temporary disruption.”
Licences issued
He said that forestry licences continue to be issued, albeit at a slower rate than would be expected.
“However, it has been a good year overall for felling licences and to the end of November my department had issued just over 4,000 tree felling licences, which is still higher than any previous year and is 10% higher than the total for last year. This week, for instance, we will issue around 100 felling licences,” the Minister said.
Read more on the forestry felling delays in next week's Irish Farmers Journal.
Read more
Overall welcome for Mackinnon review of forestry sector
Sprucing up farm roads with a stone crusher
Department fails to push through fee for forestry appeals
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