The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 21 Jan, 2022

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Agriculture

Period 1 Sep, 2021 to 31 Dec, 2021

Specific Details Forestry Licences

Intended results To seek a meeting with an Taoiseach to discuss and identify a path forward to repair the deep frustration felt by farmers with forestry at the Governments' handling of the forest licences crisis. To acknowledge the work that is ongoing under the Project Woodland initiative, and IFA's commitment to working with all stakeholders to deliver a more streamlined system that supports farmers to plant small forests and woodlands on their farms. To highlight that the immediate short-term solution that is being proposed by IFA, which is operational elsewhere in Europe, is to permit management operations such as thinning and forest road construction to proceed under a management plan rather than require a licence. This would alleviate some of the pressure on system, with over 5,000 forest licences in the system, and would enable farmers with time sensitive management operations to proceed. That the licence crisis must be addressed in the shorter-term to allow farmers to sustainably manage their forests to ensure the supply of timber to address the timber shortages and reduce the level of timber importation which is increasing the risk to the health of our national forest estate. To allow farmers and rural communities to benefit from the buoyant timber market. But more importantly immediate action is needed, to start the long journey to rebuild trust and confidence in forestry as an alternative enterprise at farm level. To highlight that Ireland has the highest timber growth rates in Europe and ideal climate conditions for growing trees, if we are to meet our climate change targets and re-engage farmers in planting trees on farms, it is vital that we address the crisis and allow farmers to manage their forests. To welcome clarification from Minister Hackett that the State does not own the carbon sequestered in privately owned forests, that it only accounts for them in our national inventory report.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Tim Cullinan IFA President, Vincent Nally IFA Farm Forestry Chair, Geraldine O'Sullivan IFA Forestry Policy Executive

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 (1)

Email (2-5)

Meeting (1)

Event / Reception (1)

Informal communication (2-5)

Phone call (2-5)

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.

Micheál Martin An Taoiseach (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Eamon Ryan Minister (Department of Transport)

Barry Cowen TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

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

Seán Fleming TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Seán Kyne Senator (Seanad)

Seán Canney TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Anne Rabbitte TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ciaran Cannon TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Éamon Ó Cuív TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Hildegarde Naughton TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Mairéad Farrell TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Noel Grealish TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Ring TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Rose Conway-Walsh TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Alan Dillon TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Dara Calleary TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Patrick Donohoe Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Charlie McConalogue Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)