Tá mé ag bogadh ar aghaidh. An Teachta Danny Healy-Rae.

I respectfully wish to highlight the problems with forestry felling licences. Very few are being granted despite the Bill that was passed recently in the Dáil. Munster Joinery employs 1,400 people on the Cork-Kerry border and has done so for years. Kelly's of Ballydesmond has been supplying the timber to the Munster Joinery plant for many years. However, since 9 September last year, Kelly's has not brought one stick of timber into that plant. The company has put in 27 applications for felling licences but none of them has been granted. One of those licence applications goes back to 2013. A very honest man from Rathmore is being denied his application since 2013.

Thank you, Deputy. We are over time.

Are people in the forestry service dragging their heels?

I ask the Deputy for his co-operation. He has put his question. Deputy Michael Collins has a question on the same issue.

There is a very serious issue with forestry felling. We have a crisis because an objector has held up the whole process. In some cases I know of, a licence cannot be got where forests have been blown due to storms. There is a very worrying situation at GP Wood in Cork, which employs 500 people, because it has a massive shortage of timber. Another growing worry is the Government's targets for growing forestry will not be met because farmers are running a mile from forestry at present. The problem is there are so many restrictions attached to any new licences that might be given. I plead with the Tánaiste to intervene on this issue.

I thank the Deputies for raising this important issue. A big part of our climate action strategy is to increase the amount of land under the cover of forestry. That will not be possible if we are living in a country where it is virtually impossible to get a licence to plant or fell. I know many people are experiencing that at the moment. It is something the Government is apprised of and it relates to certain court cases. The Minister of State, Senator Hackett, who is totally committed to sustainable forestry, is working very hard on a solution.