Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 November 2018
778. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the potential funding streams available to assist and-or supplement a person (details supplied) in the replanting of Sitka spruce following the conclusion of the felling process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45227/18]
View answerForestry in Ireland operates within a legal and regulatory framework. This is necessary in order to protect forests and also to ensure that forestry operations and activities are carried out in compliance with the principles of sustainable forest management. The obligation to replant felled trees is required under the Forestry Act, 2014 and the Forestry Regulations, SI 191/2017.
Due to the extent of deforestation by the early 20th Century, legislation was introduced to regulate tree felling. This has facilitated, in part, sustainable forest management. There is a need to avoid deforestation in relation to economic and social considerations and particularly in an environmental context such as carbon, landscape and amenity considerations. Reforestation after felling is essential to prevent deforestation, which would otherwise counteract the benefits of the initial afforestation.
While my Department funds initial afforestation through a grant and the payment of premia, all replanting is to be carried out at the land owner’s expense regardless of whether the site was initially grant-aided or not. In the majority of cases, landowners fund the replanting of their lands from the proceeds of the sale of the extracted timber. The proceeds are tax free which gives an additional boost to the clearfell income of the landowner.
I understand a tree felling licence, for the person named, issued in July this year, providing for the felling of over 18 ha of Sitka spruce and to thin a small area of Ash. The issued licence also included details of the replanting operations. As is normal for such cases, an inspection of the licensed works and replanting will be arranged at a later date to check that the person named has fully complied with the conditions of the licence.
