Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2019
2050. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the restrictions on forestry planting by which there must be a 4:1 ratio of enclosed land to unenclosed land will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31980/19]
View answerThe Department's rule concerning afforestation of unenclosed land, limited the total area of this type of land in any one afforestation application to 20%.
The “Land Types for Afforestation ” document introduced in March 2016 sets out the potential eligibility of land for support under the Afforestation Scheme, based on the capability of that land to produce a sustainable commercial crop of timber. The introduction of this document has resulted in some previously ‘poor’ unenclosed land (GPC 1) now been classified as ‘Unsuitable Land’. However, this new procedure has led to some previously ‘good’ GPC 1 land being planted as GPC 3 and, therefore, eligible for a higher grant and premium rate.
All aspects of the current Forestry Programme will be examined in the context of the regulatory framework for the next programming period.
