There is no doubt but that there are some significant challenges ahead in getting farmers and landowners engaged in planting. We are looking at incentivising small-scale planting. These would be non-commercial plantations of native species. These could be counted towards our carbon inventory. I am hopeful that we will have something on that very soon and that we will be able to roll out something for landowners, perhaps next year. This will not involve the jumping through hoops required for forestry licensing, whic…

I do not have a date for the annexe. I hope it will be published in the coming weeks.

The supply of timber this time last year was a very significant worry for the sector. There was deep concern among sawmills about where their supply would come from. I am pleased to say that in the past 12 months we have worked really hard to make significant improvements in that regard. Each week the Department publishes extensive information on forestry licensing and forestry-related statistics on the weekly forestry dashboard. Unfortunately, I do not have with me the year-by-year figures; I have the overall five…

Certainly, that is the intent. As the years will progress, we know there will be a significant volume of timber to come onto the market. We have to match our licensing capabilities with that to be able to deliver that. We sometimes hear the discussion of Coillte felling licences versus the private side. As a note for this year, Coillte tends to submit its felling licences in batches, whereas private individuals submit them daily, one or two at a time, perhaps. In March Coillte submitted more than 1,800 applications…

I do not have the specific figures to hand. We are a massive net exporter of timber products. I think we export 90% of what we produce in Ireland. That is a credit to the sawmill and the wider sector, and the landowners and farmers who grow the trees and produce them. I will get the employment and value figures sent on to the Deputy.

"Do not be despondent." So began a recent email to me from Mr. Fergal Monaghan, project manager of the Hen Harrier Project, which is supported by my Department. He was referring to this year's provisional breeding results of this protected bird, which were disappointing, to say the least. However, he went on to say that all of these things have ups and downs, good years and bad years, but it is the overall trend that is important. What we must do is to provide these birds with an environment that makes that improve…

I thank the Deputy for raising this Topical Issue matter, and I convey the apologies of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, who cannot be here to respond. Snail farming, also known as heliciculture, is a niche market in Ireland, but one that has been growing in recent years, as the Deputy said. Climatic conditions in Ireland are suitable for year-round snail breeding, and Bord Bia conducted research in 2018 which showed the strong export market potential for snails, particularly i…

I thank the Deputy. As I indicated in my original response, the topical issue submitted did not give the detail that would have allowed me to respond to the Deputy’s questions. Had he given it, perhaps I could have had a more wholesome reply for him. I take his point, however, on snails being classified as animals. Certainly, a gastropod is not the same as a mammal or a vertebrate such a cow. To compare the two so bluntly is unfair. Cows have individual herd identifiers and identity cards; individual snails do not,…

It is good to be here. I thank the Seanad for the invitation to update Members on the latest developments on forestry policy and licensing. I have come here directly from COP26, having returned last night. Clearly, as we all know, the discussions there on climate change and the need to move to carbon neutrality are thought-provoking and resonate very strongly with me and, I am sure, with everyone here too. Climate change is the challenge of our era and the one that future generations will judge us on. In that conte…

I thank all of the Senators for their valuable input because they reflect the views not only of their constituents but also of the people who approach them, write to them and contact them on this issue. Therefore, it is important to discuss the licensing system from my perspective, from the perspective of my Department and from the perspective of the public. Senator Garvey and a number of Senators highlighted their appreciation for trees and the importance of trees. Senator Garvey also highlighted the need for a mi…

I am just about finished anyway. We have committed to implementing the Mackinnon report and that is the basis of why Project Woodland was set up. The work is ongoing, but it is not as quick as people would like. I think Senator Ahearn asked about timelines in this regard.

Everybody wants to know that. I also want to know how long everything is going to take. However, we are making progress. It takes, on average, about 11 months to deal with a licence application submitted now. That does not include those who have been waiting long term for licences. I ask those who have licences and who are waiting to keep in touch with my Department. I ask those people waiting for a felling licence to ensure that they have submitted a good quality harvest plan. It is important that that is done. Se…

Am I sharing time?

I will share four minutes with Deputy O'Connor. As Members will be aware, the issues impacting the forestry sector have been a priority of mine since taking on this brief. I welcome the interest and engagement from the members of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the other Deputies in the Chamber. The committee's report of March 2021 on issues impacting the forestry sector in Ireland was a detailed and considered analysis, with recommendations, observations and conclusions. The recommendat…

If I have to be less calm, I can be but certainly, I wish to reassure all the Deputies that this is being taken highly seriously. As I said, since taking up this role this issue has been on my desk and has been spoken about in my Department every single day. Progress, despite what people might think, is being made. This time last year, the crisis on the table was a supply of timber into the sawmills, where there was a deadlock in the appeals system. That was the legislation that I brought in this time last year. It…

-----and not just recently, that we only ever plant about 40% of what we have licensed. That is an issue because the resources used to generate and issue those licences are essentially going to waste. I encourage forestry companies to get in touch with their clients to try to encourage them to plant those trees because we need them planted in the ground. Deputy Carthy referred to the Scottish Government and there are many similarities between us and Scotland but there are also dissimilarities, which is certainly th…

-----in order that we can plant native trees. Deputy O’Connor stated he was here to represent and push for the commercial sector and I admit that small areas are not necessarily going to be commercial. They can, however, be accounted for in our carbon inventory and are good for biodiversity, water quality and so forth. That is important. Deputy Boyd Barrett highlighted quite clearly the benefits of trees, as did Deputy Cairns. As to the nurseries I have met their representatives and the single biggest thing we can …

I thank Senator Kyne for the opportunity to speak on this matter. The Department owns, operates and maintains, under statute, six designated State-owned fishery harbour centres. These are located at Ros an Mhíl, Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth and Killybegs. As the Senator stated, the Minister visited Ros an Mhíl fishery harbour centre last week and had the opportunity to meet with key stakeholders and see for himself the location of the proposed deepwater berthing project. I understand from the Ministe…

The cross-departmental nature of this project requires that there be cohesion between Departments in how we address it. Clearly, offshore wind generation is a priority for our country in meeting our renewable and decarbonisation targets. That must be kept front and centre in all decisions that are made. I am not aware of the specific details of the project but I will engage with the Minister with a view to progressing it. I do not know whether the officials are supportive of it, but I certainly will look into that,…

I, along with the Government, am committed to seeing the area under organics grow. Therefore, I am delighted to have secured a significant increase in the budget for organic farming for 2022. Funding for the organic farming scheme, OFS, has been increased to €21 million, up from €16 million last year, with a further €2 million for further organic sector development measures. This increase is most welcome and addresses the growing demand from both farmers and consumers for this type of production. It effectively dou…