In 2019, Leitrim sheep farmer Barry O’Hagan applied through the Western Forestry Co-op for an afforestation licence to plant 13.34ha of his land in Meenymore, Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim.

His afforestation licence has been held up due to an appeal and, despite the Forestry Appeals Committee ruling in his favour to go ahead with forestry planting, his licence has been put on hold on foot of a High Court challenge against the decision by community group Save Leitrim.

“I decided I wanted to plant the land in 2019. I have three sons and it would be a form of increased support for the farm and for college fees.

“I put in an application to the Department of Agriculture, the inspector came out and viewed the area.

“His first concern was that there is a house on the land, with a man living in it. He w?orks in forestry himself and I approached him and told him that I was thinking about planting the land.

“He said he didn’t mind at all, as long as I stayed back from the house and planted broadleaves on the forestry that would border him. He signed a letter to say he had no issue,” O’Hagan told the Irish Farmers Journal.

There’s a 30-day cooling off period, to allow for any objections. On the 29th day, the Department received an objection from Save Leitrim. My licence was put on hold

The second concern the inspector had was in relation to an archaeological monument on his land. After paying €1,000 for an independent archaeologist to assess it, the area needed to be zoned off from forestry, which O’Hagan agreed to.

“The Department got the archaeologist’s report. They were quite happy and planning was granted to me in November 2019.

“There’s a 30-day cooling off period, to allow for any objections. On the 29th day, the Department received an objection from Save Leitrim. My licence was put on hold,” he said.

A hearing followed in March 2020 and O’Hagan sent a letter to the appeals committee, outlining how important it was to him to be able to plant the land.

“Three weeks later, I got a registered letter and every point that Save Leitrim had raised was meticulously answered by the forestry appeals office. My planning was reinstated. “I thought that was it, it’s over now,” he said.

However, a number of weeks ago O’Hagan was made aware of a debate on local radio in relation to the land he wanted to plant, although his name wasn’t mentioned on air.

Notification

He contacted the Department of Agriculture, which told him that he should have been notified that Save Leitrim was bringing the Forestry Appeals Committee to the High Court for a judicial review case.

“Where does that leave me? I can’t draw down the money for the grant and can’t commence the work.

“The scheme is there, the planning process is there, I did everything I was asked to do, Save Leitrim objected and the Department reinstated my licence.

What is their purpose? It’s very difficult for me not to take it personally

“Why are they penalising me? It’s my land. I’ve farmed it for the last 30 years. It’s land-locked on three sides by forestry, it doesn’t come on to a public road. It’s down a lane. I’m flabbergasted that Save Leitrim can hold me to ransom. What is their purpose? It’s very difficult for me not to take it personally,” he said.

O’Hagan said the issue has caused him and his family a lot of stress.

Save Leitrim: ‘Forestry is displacing people’

Justin Warnock of Save Leitrim, a Fianna Fáil councillor in Leitrim and a farmer, said he would not be commenting on the High Court case. “Save Leitrim was set up to highlight the issues in Leitrim. Coniferisation is a problem. They just want to plant Leitrim, because there is a perception that the land is no good for anything else. It’s high nature value land and rich in biodiversity.

“Farmers who plant the land aren’t contributing to the economy. It’s the livestock farmers who contribute, in the marts and agri stores,” he said.

Warnock told the Irish Farmers Journal that if the Department had been adhering to EU rules and regulations, Save Leitrim would not have won one appeal case.

He said forestry is displacing the population in Leitrim and that young farmers in the county are being deprived of increasing their holdings and staying on the land.

In relation to the timber harvested from the trees, Warnock claims that “most of it is only fit for MDF or chipboard”.

IFA

The IFA farm forestry committee supports farmers who want to afforest their land and diversify their farm income.

Supporting farmers to plant has greater social and economic benefits for the rural economy

Forest policy must prioritise supporting farmers to plant new forests, an IFA spokesperson said.

“Supporting farmers to plant has greater social and economic benefits for the rural economy. When a farmer plants, all the grants and premium, as well as future timber earnings, are spent locally contributing to rural employment and sustaining communities.”