Mattie McGrath warns of forestry licensing logjam hitting businesses
Deputy Mattie McGrath raised concerns about forestry tree-felling licences, saying the situation has worsened and created a “huge logjam” that is disrupting supply and works. He warned that households, farmers, contractors and small businesses are suffering and called for increased staffing in agricultural licensing.
Allegation of a logjam
McGrath told the debate that people cannot get forestry licences to fell trees, affecting private forestry and national forest stations. He said timber shortages are delaying essential construction work and increasing costs, and that measures passed last year – which he voted against – are not working.
Impact on industries and communities
He listed knock-on effects on the building industry, haulage, farmers, forestry contractors and suppliers of firewood. McGrath said small businesses are being wiped out, jobs are being lost and households cannot get timber even for essential works during the COVID period.
Contrasting licence data cited by another speaker
A different speaker disputed that the situation is worse, saying licence output improved late in the year. They reported almost 900 new licences issued in the last three months of 2020, felling licences covering some 2 million tonnes - about 40% of the year’s output - and said January looked set to be the strongest month for licensing in 18 months.
Supplier and department response
The contributor named Quilta as the largest supplier of material to Irish Somers and said Quilta has 80% of its 2021 programme licensed, with final felling licences to be processed in the coming weeks. They added that staffing has increased within the department and that officials are working to close out issues to make supply available to market.
Calls for action and accountability
McGrath urged the department to allocate sufficient staff to agricultural licensing and to identify the obstacles causing delays, saying the problem "needs to be sorted out" to protect jobs, businesses and essential works.
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Last June we debated forestry and forestry tree-felling licences here at Lint. The situation has got worse. People cannot get forestry licences to fill their trees, whether they be private forestry or even national forest stations. A huge knock-on effect on the building industry, on the haulage industry, on farmers and forestry contractors and indeed on people supplying firewood and the costs to people in construction, especially for essential jobs. Can't get timber now, it's been important. Would you please seize enough staff in the path of agriculture? Is there serious objects that are causing the problem? But there is a serious problem. And businesses are being wiped out, small businesses, especially in this time of COVID. And jobs are being lost. But above all, people can't get timber through their houses, even for essential works. So it's a huge logjam. And what we passed last year, I voted against it, is not working. The logjam is there. Whether it's enough lack of staff or lack of ambition, I don't know what it is, but it needs to be sorted out. I have to disagree with the deputy. It's not worse than it was. I don't know how you can say that because I'm being told here the last three months of last year were the highest months of 2020 for licence output with almost 900 new licences issued. Licences for felling volume of some 2 million tonnes issued in that time, which was 40% of the output for the year. This improvement has continued strongly into January, which looks like being the strongest month for licensing in 18 months. Quilta is the largest supplier of material to Irish Somers that's seen this 2021 licensing programme significantly improved. And they have 80% of their 2021 programme already licensed, with the final felling licences for the year to be processed over the next few weeks. They're working with the department to close out any issues and ensure availability of this supply to market as quickly as possible. Staffing has increased within the department to deal with all of these issues.
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