Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 February 2014
505. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will increase the rate of forestry road grant aid to €45 and to 25 m per hectare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6571/14]
View answerThe new forestry programme for 2014 – 2020 will continue to be funded by the exchequer under EU state aid rules. The latest state aid rules which are in draft form only, limit the level of State support for forest roads to 40% of the total eligible costs as opposed to 80% under the previous programme.
The development of the new forestry programme will be carried out in parallel with a Strategic Environmental Assessment which will feed into the development of the programme at scheme level. A tender for this work has issued and work is expected to being in early March 2014. It is therefore too early to make a statement in relation to the level of funding for forest roads at this time, other than to say that various options are currently being explored.
A public consultation process will take place in June/July 2014 at which point more detail will be made available on the content of the proposed new forestry programme.
