A motion of no confidence in Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue “is inevitable” unless “positive changes” become apparent in the forestry sector, independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice has warned. The caution follows confirmation from the Department that approximately 4,500 forestry licence applications remain backlogged in the forest service – down just 200 since October 2020. It also follows the publication of multiple reports on tackling the issues behind the long-running forestry crisis that resulted in less than 2,500ha of new forests planted in 2020. Speaking on the matter, the Roscommon-Galway representative said: “The forestry sector continues to be hampered by a lack of real progress around delays in dealing with licence applications for afforestation, forest roads and felling.