Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 July 2022
343. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the specific incentives that his Department will include within the revised Cap Strategic Plan draft to promote afforestation within the next Common Agricultural Policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36907/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere will be close alignment between the CAP Strategic Plan - which is still to be approved by the European Commission - and the new national Forestry Programme over the coming period.
Significant tree planting measures are proposed for inclusion in two schemes under the CAP Strategic Plan, namely, the Pillar 1 Eco-scheme and the new Pillar 2 ACRES scheme. Both schemes will be voluntary for farmers to participate in.
The Eco-Scheme will be an annual scheme with the option to opt-in or opt-out each year. It will be comprised of a menu of eight agricultural practices, with farmers required to complete two practices in a given year. One of these practices will require the planting of three native trees or one metre of hedgerow per hectare per annum. In cases where a farmer increases the planting rate to six trees or two metres of hedgerow per hectare per annum, s/he will qualify for the full Eco-scheme payment. The Eco-Scheme will aim to engage as many farmers as possible, and it is therefore hoped that this option will provide the basis for the planting of significant numbers of trees over the period of the Plan.
The ACRES (Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme) will be a multi-annual scheme which will include an option for farmers to plant trees and/or hedges. They will have the option to select actions based around planting trees in rows, groups or parkland. In addition, farmers are also proposed to be offered actions relating to planting trees in riparian buffer strips as well as potentially planting tree belts adjacent to farmyards with a view to capturing ammonia.
