The forestry sector here is facing a deepening crisis with up to 1,000 jobs at risk, Ibec's Forest Industries Ireland sector has warned.
FII brings together companies from across the forestry and timber supply chain, from forest owners and forestry companies to timber processors, wood product manufacturers and renewable energy producers.
The forest contracting sector is responsible for the work at ground level consisting of felling and planting of trees and transporting timber.
Ibec said that for several months, the Department of Agriculture has been unable to provide the licenses that the industry needs to carry out its daily operations of planting and felling trees.
"The crisis has reached the point where major job losses are feared as companies simply do not have the licenses they need to keep their people busy," Ibec's Mark McAuley said.
The sector is worth over €2 billion to the economy and employs 12,000 people in every county in the country.
"It also has a major role to play in combatting climate change but its ability to do that is completely undermined by the inability of the Department of Agriculture to provide the licensing platform it needs," Mr McAuley said.
"We can't get the trees planted and we can't harvest the timber," he added.
Mr McAuley said the industry has lost patience and people are very angry due to their businesses being at risk.
He said that farmers are also being hit as they can not sell their timber or get their forests thinned and can not get a license to plant new trees.
"Serious, long-term damage is being done and it will be long-term if this is not resolved fast. People will leave the sector and not come back," Mr McAuley warned.
"The sawmills are already running far below capacity and could even run out of timber next year. These are big employers with huge capital investment," he added.
