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For Written Answer on : 06/07/2021
Question Number(s): 580 Question Reference(s): 36012/21
Department: Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Asked by: David Stanton T.D.
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QUESTION


To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the number of afforestation licences currently awaiting decision in each county; the number of forest road licence applications currently awaiting decision in each county; the number of tree felling licence applications currently awaiting decision in each county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY



The Department is committed to issuing 4,500 forestry licences this year, which is an increase of 75% on 2020.  To 30th June, over 39% of that target has issued, with 105 licences issuing last week, including 67 private tree felling licences.  


In terms of afforestation, the Department has issued more licences than at the same time last year, which are for a land area that is 20% greater in hectares.  Forestry road licences have already surpassed the target of 125km as indicated in the Climate Action Plan, 2019 at 149km of roads licenced this year.


The breakdown of applications awaiting decision in each county is included below:

 AfforestationRoadsFelling
Carlow141180
Cavan287124
Clare7939312
Cork5449420
Donegal1436239
Dublin4248
Galway7534301
Kerry8460286
Kildare221376
Kilkenny1613165
Laois1714172
Leitrim4229153
Limerick3465199
Longford171051
Louth22443
Mayo8339206
Meath22789
Monaghan7234
Offaly169123
Roscommon7932126
Sligo3325131
Tipperary3738418
Waterford208215
Westmeath401295
Wexford183129
Wicklow2212252