President signs law banning fur farming
President Michael D Higgins has signed new legislation relating to fur farming and forestry. The main purpose of the Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill is to prohibit the farming of animals primarily for their fur or skin. It will also provide for a compensation scheme for…
Sligo forestry representative warns the industry is being destroyed by licencing backlog
The forestry industry is in crisis and is facing significant job losses. That according to the Social, Economic, Environmental Forestry Association of Ireland – which’s seeking direct intervention from the Taoiseach to resolve the backlog of licenses urgently needed to fell trees. More than 100 representatives from the…
Forestry licences ‘a fiasco,’ says Fitzmaurice
Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice has called for the Joint Oireachtas Agriculture Committee to be recalled immediately to address the slump in processing forestry licences. The Roscommon East Galway TD has made the call to the chair of the committee, Jackie Cahill, as well as to the clerk of the committee,…
Oireachtas committee to discuss forestry issues
Issues facing the forestry industry, including those related to licensing, are to be discussed tomorrow (Thursday) at a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food, and the Marine The meeting, which will start at 12:30pm in Leinster House, will include officials from the Department. Committee Cathaoirleach, Jackie Cahill…
IFA says forestry will grind to a halt unless licence backlog is dealt with
The IFA President Tim Cullinan has claimed the announcement by Minister Pippa Hackett that the EU has approved an extension of the forestry programme for 2021 will have no real impact unless the licensing backlog is addressed. Cullinan says that we have a minister announcing grants to encourage forestry while…
Harkin: ‘Planting MORE trees is not a forestry policy’
A Sligo/Leitrim TD says Leitrim is being used as ‘a sacrifice zone’ for the planting of Sitka Spruce. Supporting a Forestry Bill proposed by Sinn Fein Deputy Martin Kenny, Independent Deputy Marian Harkin says in countries such as Scotland and France, forestry exists in large swathes of uninhabited areas. She…
Councillor wants new planning condition for forestry owners
There’s a call for it to be a condition of planning permission that forestry owners contribute to local road improvement schemes when trees are being cut and taken away. The issue of damage to roads by heavy trucks working on forestry operations has been an issue throughout the north west…