Coillte CGA

Lobbying Organisation Coillte CGA

Date published 21 Sep, 2020

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Agriculture

Period 1 May, 2020 to 31 Aug, 2020

Specific Details To engage with the Department and the Forest Service regarding Forestry Licences, potential amended legislation and to encourage the Department to implement an effective Forestry Appeals Committee process

Intended results To improve the run rate of felling licences in order to facilitate Coillte's timber supply programme. To implement an efficient appeals process that clears the backlog of forestry appeals.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Imelda Hurley

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Letter (2-5)

1 July 2020: Letter to Minister Cowen from Imelda Hurley (CEO) and Bernie Gray (Coillte Chairperson) - Ref: Forestry Licencing Crisis, FAC Hearing Delays and Timber Supply Issues 3 July 2020: Letter to Minister Hackett from Imelda Hurley (CEO) and Bernie Gray (Coillte Chairperson) - Ref: Forestry Licencing Crisis, FAC Hearing Delays and Timber Supply Issues 3 July 2020: Letter to Minister Heydon from Imelda Hurley (CEO) and Bernie Gray (Coillte Chairperson) - Ref: Forestry Licencing Crisis, FAC Hearing Delays and Timber Supply Issues 20 July 2020: Letter to Minister Calleary from Imelda Hurley (CEO) and Bernie Gray (Coillte Chairperson) - Ref: Forestry Licencing Crisis, FAC Hearing Delays and Timber Supply Issues 21 August 2020: Letter to An Taoiseach and Minister Hackett, from Imelda Hurley (CEO) - Ref: Forestry Licencing Crisis, FAC Hearing Delays, Critical Timber Supply Shortage and Legislative Reform

Email (1)

9 July 2020: Email to Colm Hayes - Ref: Urgent and Necessary Legislative Reform

Meeting (2-5)

7 July 2020: Meeting in Agriculture House between Imelda Hurley (CEO), Bernie Gray (Coillte Chairperson), Mark Carlin (Managing Director, Coillte Forestry Division) and Minister Cowen, Minister Hackett, Minister Heydon, Brendan Gleeson and Colm Hayes. Discussion included the Forestry Licencing Crisis, FAC Hearing Delays, Timber Supply Issues and Legislative Reform. 18 August 2020: Meeting with Adam Ledwith on Forestry Licencing Crisis, FAC Hearing Delays, Timber Supply Issues and the urgent need for legislation.

Phone call (6-10)

1 June 2020: Call, Imelda Hurley and Colm Hayes on forestry including potential legislative reform. 17 July 2020: Call, Imelda Hurley and Colm Hayes on forestry and the urgent need for legislative reform. 18 August 2020: Call, Imelda Hurley and Colm Hayes on forestry including the FAC hearing delays, potential shortage of timber and the urgent need for legislation. 19 August 2020: Call, Imelda Hurley and Minister Hackett on forestry including the FAC hearing delays, potential shortage of timber and the urgent need for legislation. 19 August 2020: Call, Imelda Hurley and Colm Hayes on forestry including the FAC hearing delays, potential shortage of timber and the urgent need for legislation. 23 August 2020: Call, Imelda Hurley and Colm Hayes on forestry and the urgent need for legislation/regulation. 25 August 2020: Call, Imelda Hurley and Colm Hayes on forestry and the urgent need for legislation/regulation.

Virtual Meeting (1)

27 July 2020: Virtual meeting between Imelda Hurley (CEO), Bernie Gray (Coillte Chairperson), Minister Calleary and Minister Hackett on the Forestry Licencing Crisis, FAC Hearing Delays, Timber Supply Issues and Legislative Reform.

Informal communication (1)

22 August 2020: Text from Imelda Hurley to Colm Hayes including updates on whether regulations are required subsequent to the proposed legislation and related timing implications.

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Colm Hayes Assistant Secretary (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Pippa Hackett Super Junior Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Dara Calleary Minister (Department of Agriculture and the Marine)

Barry Cowen Minister (Department of Agriculture and the Marine)

Martin Heydon Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Brendan Gleeson Secretary General (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Micheál Martin An Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)

Adam Ledwith Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture and the Marine)