Efforts to speed up approval of forestry licences for felling, planting and road building continue, after the system ground to a near halt in late 2019.
Scottish forestry consultant James Mackinnon is to visit here on Thursday 16 January to meet officials in the Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service.
He recently reviewed the approval process at the request of Minister Andrew Doyle and made a number of recommendations.
Approvals for planting, roads and felling are being delayed - in some cases for over 12 months - and the numerous third-party submissions and appeals against licence approvals are a factor, Mackinnon found.
He will give his report and 22 recommendations to the Forest Service and this is expected to see the matter prioritised by all stakeholders. Minister Doyle has said that to implement Mackinnon’s recommendations, he would publish a detailed plan in January, after discussions with the Forestry Programme Implementation Group.
Slowdown
Meanwhile, a delegation of forestry contractors met officials in the Forest Service in Dublin on 23 December and highlighted the slowdown in forestry work caused by approval delays.
Nonetheless, both private and Coillte harvesting have slowed down. Sawmillers report that the cancelling of a Coillte timber auction in December and the likely delay of a January auction may result in a slowdown in timber processing as log reserves dwindle. Any shortfall could be made up by higher imports.
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‘Serial objectors’ cause backlog of forestry felling licences
Efforts to speed up approval of forestry licences for felling, planting and road building continue, after the system ground to a near halt in late 2019.
Scottish forestry consultant James Mackinnon is to visit here on Thursday 16 January to meet officials in the Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service.
He recently reviewed the approval process at the request of Minister Andrew Doyle and made a number of recommendations.
Approvals for planting, roads and felling are being delayed - in some cases for over 12 months - and the numerous third-party submissions and appeals against licence approvals are a factor, Mackinnon found.
He will give his report and 22 recommendations to the Forest Service and this is expected to see the matter prioritised by all stakeholders. Minister Doyle has said that to implement Mackinnon’s recommendations, he would publish a detailed plan in January, after discussions with the Forestry Programme Implementation Group.
Slowdown
Meanwhile, a delegation of forestry contractors met officials in the Forest Service in Dublin on 23 December and highlighted the slowdown in forestry work caused by approval delays.
Nonetheless, both private and Coillte harvesting have slowed down. Sawmillers report that the cancelling of a Coillte timber auction in December and the likely delay of a January auction may result in a slowdown in timber processing as log reserves dwindle. Any shortfall could be made up by higher imports.
Read more
Coillte ‘not delaying’ farm partnership arbitration
Contractors warn forestry sector facing disaster
‘Serial objectors’ cause backlog of forestry felling licences
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