These Regulations provide detailed rules for the control of forestry activities in the areas of felling, afforestation, forest road works and aerial fertilisation of forests as provided for in the Forestry Act, 2014. The Regulations also give further effect to European Directives relating to Environmental Impact Assessment. They impose certain requirements regarding the application for a licence in respect of the activities mentioned above and impose restrictions in respect of aerial fertilisation. They also provide with respect to procedures for approval of licences and (public) consultation procedures. The Minister shall, as part of his or her consideration of the application involving an environmental impact assessment ensure that before a decision is given, projects likely to have significant effects on the environment by virtue, inter alia, of their nature, size or location are made subject to an environmental impact assessment. Where the Minister receives an application for a licence under sections 17 or 22 of the Principal Act, which is not directly connected with or necessary to the management of the site as a European Site (as defined by the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011), the Minister shall assess if the development, individually or in combination with other plans or projects is likely to have a significant effect on the European site. Decisions on application are taken by the Minister.
Forestry Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 191 of 2017).