Over 20% of forestry licences granted for Leitrim, Roscommon and Galway

Some 23% of forestry licences granted between 2016 to 2018 have been exclusively for Leitrim, Roscommon and Galway.

The information has come to light from a parliamentary question put to the Minister of Agriculture Michael Creed, by Fianna Fáil TD for Roscommon/Galway Eugene Murphy.

“Rural counties such as Leitrim, Roscommon and parts of Galway have particular problems where there is a disproportionate amount of afforestation licences granted compared with other parts of the country,” Murphy said, highlighting a particular problem with large swathes of non-native Sitka spruce.

Disproportionate amount of afforestation licences granted compared with other parts of the country

Some 291 licences were granted for Roscommon, while 243 and 229 licences were granted for Leitrim and Galway respectively. Murphy pointed out that in comparison only a handful of licences had been refused.

A forestry licence can be granted to the owner of the land or their agent.

There has been much debate around the planting in counties such as Leitrim, with fears that tax-free grants are encouraging non-farmer owners to buy land in marginal areas.

“I am also calling on Minister Creed to examine more attractive tax breaks, or indeed introduce incentives for landowners who lease their land to active farmers,” deputy Murphy said.

However, the Department of Agriculture has maintained that planting in Ireland is still below target and with fears that Ireland is losing the battle against achieving climate change targets, some groups feel that farmers should be encouraged to plant more trees.