I call Deputy Mattie McGrath. Maybe we will try the thirty-second rule.

The programme for Government is rich in its support for agriculture and agroforestry. There are huge concerns among farm and forestry contractors and, indeed, many farmer-landowners, over the desperate delays in getting tree-felling licences. This is going on for too long and I believe there is a serial objector out there as well holding it all up. We need to change the legislation here.

Between 2010 and 2018, the number of felling licence applications submitted showed a sustained increase from more than 1,700 in 2010 to almost 6,000 in 2018. This year, the number is way down to 1,800 applications. These people have long-term investments. They need to get the product out. As well as that, there are skilled contractors with huge investment in machinery and they need to be able to work. They will be idle in 2020 if something is not done here. Tá an tAire Stáit anseo. This is a serious situation where we need to amend the legislation to stop serial and frivolous objectors, and allow contractors to do their work.

I thank the Deputy for the question. We are very well aware of challenges that are out there. I believe the Deputy is wrong in his figures of application for felling licences this year. They are up again on last year.

I am telling the Minister of State that I am not.

The figures are up. Many more applications are being processed. There is a specific problem and the Deputy should check his facts.

The Minister of State should check his facts as well.

I have the facts.

None is being granted.

Deputy Doyle without interruption.

The Deputy just said there is a record number of appeals. They cannot be appealed unless they are granted. Go back and recheck-----

There are objections.

In fairness, due to a European Court of Justice judgment the appropriate assessment process and procedures have had to be revamped. This afternoon, appeals are being considered under the new procedures, which will hopefully speed up the appeals process. The industry engaged last week with the Department and all the stakeholders. I am aware of the case the Deputy mentioned. There is a list of applications which we are trying to process. We are trying to deal with this. We tried to introduce an amendment to the Act, but we will have to do it in a different manner in the new year.