The Department of Agriculture is issuing more forestry licences than applications being received, with the backlog of licences standing at just over 1,600.

The backlog in licences stood at 6,000 in August 2021. As of January 2022, that figure had fallen to 3,700 and as of last week, just 1,639 were awaiting approval.

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue revealed the figures in a recent response to Cork TD Holly Cairns.

“We are issuing more licences than applications received and this means that the backlog continues to drop, with faster turnaround times for new applicants.

Plan

“At the start of the year, we published a forestry licensing plan for 2022, which contained a target of 5,250 licences, a year-on-year increase of 30%.

"To 21 October 2022, we have issued 3,914 licences, which is 92% of our expected output at this point in the year and there are currently 953 approved afforestation licences with just under 7,000 hectares ready for planting.

“These improved outputs have been achieved through a commitment to continuous improvement, as well as through the implementation of measures recommended under Project Woodland,” the Minister said.

Forestry programme

Last week, a new €1.3bn forestry programme was launched. The programme will run from 2023 until 2027 and contains a raft of new premium and grant rates for farmers who are looking to plant forestry.

The Minister has said that he remains “committed to a licensing system that is fit for purpose which will underpin an ambitious new forestry programme”.

Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) forestry chair Jason Fleming welcomed the new forestry supports, but said that increased premiums alone would not be enough and that Minister of State Pippa Hackett needed to continue to work with farmers to restore confidence, particularly around the ash dieback and the licencing system.