Michael Fitzmaurice Presses Minister Over Falling Timber Licences

I am going to do a quick fire, yes or no or straight answers. I want to thank you for a few queries I had lately that were resolved. I want to thank you for that. Minister, it has been stated that Europe has stated, or any of your officials can take this, it has stated that there is no planting obligation once you cut your trees. Europe has stated this. Is that correct or not? It is incorrect. With regard to the state rules that we have, the answer is that it is incorrect. Minister's report during the week, you are aware of that? I am aware of the rules we have here, Deputy, and they state that when you plant land, when you get financial encouragement to do so, there is an obligation on you to replant that land. Why are we a third down in the volume this year of clearfell or felon licences? Why are we a third down on the licences on the cubic metres? If you look at what is issued so far this year and the volume that was issued the year before, there is a third of a difference. Why is that? We have had different delays in the past, as you are well aware of. We have had different problems with regard to the issue. I am not talking about this year. Why are we a third down this year? I am answering the question, if you will allow me the opportunity. We have had different problems over the last number of years. We are addressing all of those problems. What has happened this year? There was a couple of internal problems earlier on this year, which have now been sorted out, which I would hope you are aware of. We had over 100 applications, 120 applications for different licences that were held up. Every one of those licences has now been addressed, issued and sanctioned. Some of them, they might still not be gone through the process, but they are being worked on. Because it is no more than any application or anything, there could have been difficulties with them. But the very vast majority of them have worked through and gone through, and I thought you would have known that. Right. So, is there a problem going to arise if we are a third down on volume, compared with a normal year, that mills would be short later on, if we are a third down now? No. Our mills at the moment, many of them were only operating at 60% capacity, and I know that from speaking to them. But they have the ability to deal with the additional wind-blown material, and I will put it this way. They are busy enough, and they are going to be getting busier, because of the fact that I stated to you earlier, and that is that today, 95% of the harvesting equipment in Ireland is working on wind-blown sites, and our hauliers are delivering that timber to our sawmills, and they are working very effectively together. Right. Just the figures were alarming to see that there were a third down on the volume, when you look at the volumes of timber that has been issued this year. In relation to planting, Minister, I think we are at something like 1550 hectares planted this year, that would be fair to say. Which is double what we had this time last year. Yeah, but what I'm saying is, it's 5,500, 6,500 hectares of our national targets. It is, but will you acknowledge that it's exactly double what we had this day last year? At the end of the year, what will be double? Well, I can tell you, ideally in the year now, and it's double what we had last year. I know that there's an awful lot more licences. It's like saying, is that half full or half empty? I know that there's an awful lot more licences issued. I agree 100% that. Yes. But how long are those licences issued? Are those 4,500 hectares this year, or what's the breakdown back the years? We have a backlog of people who have approvals, and I'll tell you exactly what I'm doing about those. Every one of them, they're getting phone calls, and they're getting them from me personally. Getting what? Phone calls. Right. And I'm asking them, I'm saying, you have a licence that has been approved. It's been approved with such a length of time. They're getting calls early in the morning and late at night, and I'm having very friendly calls with them. And some of them, and I'd like to explain this to you, some of them are telling me personal reasons, family issues, different things that have happened, and that they're not able to go ahead at this time. Many of them are saying that competing schemes, such as other farm schemes that are there, we must talk about, you know, everything in an honest, open way. Prices at the moment for cattle and sheep, there's different things that are competing, and they're happy enough with what they're doing. They're reserving their call on it. Many of them are saying, we're not sure yet, our licence is there, it's going to last for such a time. But when I ring them... How long does it last? I'm answering, five years, I'm answering their questions, and many of them, and I'll be straight with you. If I'm asked a question from them that I'm not able to answer, I get back to them with an answer. Believe me, it's a tedious operation. There are an awful lot of them. There's 520 people that actually have a licence. But I'm getting through them, and I think it's good for them to hear from a person who's saying, you have a licence. Any chance to think about planting? And like I say, it's a bit of an operation. But making contact with people at the end of the day is what it's all about, and letting them know that they have the back of the department. And just in further to what you just asked me, private felling applications were down before the storm. Many of those things, it might have been linked to price, or it might have been linked to other issues. And again, you'll have personal family things happening with people to know that can affect the decisions they're making at any time. Okay. You mentioned earlier on in the year, I saw you actually on the telly when I talked, and you were making it clear that we need to have more ground, or ground that may not be, how will I put it, may not be at the moment under the planting regimes allowed to be planted. Have you made any progress on that? A very polite way of putting things, Deputy. I very much like to answer that question. Yeah. I have been maligned an awful lot in that things have been attributed to me that I never said. Right. What has been said about me is that I'm interested in planting deep peat land. I never said any such thing. And it's a great thing when I look at every one of you, because you know what I'm talking about when I speak about this. What I'm interested in is planting peaty type soils. Now, you know the difference, because a lot of people, once they hear the word peat, they have this lovely romantic vision of a big, deep blanket of bog where you can come along and dig it out and that you can harvest that and dry it and have it for turf. And they think that's what peat is. Well, we have a thing in Ireland, whether a lot of the scientists realize it or not, but I'd like to drive it home to them. And they're peaty type soils. And what that is, it's a piece of ground that you couldn't burn if you tried forever, because you could never dry it out. It's a mix of peat and mineral. I'm spending 2.7 million euros, because I'm going to prove the point, Deputy. And I'd like for you to know this, Chairman. The name of that scheme is called PEATFAR. And we're engaged in this now at present, because it's not a bad thing to plant peaty type soils. And again, I appreciate the people I'm looking at, because he understand this, he get it. But a lot of the people, including people who misquoted me today, and I'll tell you exactly who I'm talking about, the Chair of the Climate Change Advisory Council repeated an inaccuracy. And that was that I had said we should plant on deep peat soils. I never said any such thing. What I said in the Shannon was that we should plant, and we should look at planting on peaty type soils. There is an awful difference. So I'm very glad you asked me that question. And to back you up what you're saying, Glenhaiesh and Mayo and your guys there know it. I remember you when I was at Gossau and sawing timber below on it where there was forestry planted. You can't get a license to plant there now. And it's places like that that needs re-looking it. I understand fully what you're saying that deep peat you won't be planting in it. But we need to be re-looking at areas that were plantable before, besides deep peat, and be able to do it if you want to bring up the hectares that you want to plant. I agree with you 100%. In relation, and I think it's Seppi was the guy you named who was going down to Klumbanov to look at the depth. Did you make progress on he going looking at that? Seamus or whoever? Yes, he did. Yes, he did. And he's an excellent person. And as you know, his head is on the right way around. Is there a decision made on whether that's...? It's being looked at at the moment. And we'll keep you informed about that. And by the way, we thank you for your concern about it. Thank you. That's all I have to say. Thanks very much. Thank you.