Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 May 2021
13. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the development of a new forestry strategy for Ireland as recommended in reports (details supplied); the timeline for the finalisation of the strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26986/21]
View answerWill the Minister of State please give an update on the development of a new forestry strategy? The Mackinnon report in 2019 was significant and highlighted many things, which I cannot go into in 30 seconds, but the Minister of State is well aware of them. Then there was the report by Ms Jo O'Hara. Perhaps the Minister of State will give an update.
The need for a forestry strategy was one of the recommendations made by Mr. Jim Mackinnon in his report. Mr. Mackinnon was commissioned in 2019 to examine the processes for approving afforestation proposals and the linked issues for other forestry-related operations.
The development of a new forestry strategy will provide an opportunity to not only review the goals set out in the last forestry strategy for Ireland published in 2014, but also to adapt the strategy to the new challenges and requirements, and to provide a framework that will allow for the development of the forest sector in the medium and longer term. The renewed strategy will reflect both the programme for Government commitments and international best practise from an environment, social and economic perspective.
The newly-launched project woodland, which among other things looks to the development of woodland creation into the future, provides a dedicated working group for the preparation of a new forestry strategy for Ireland. This working group, chaired by Dr. Matt Crowe and with a representative membership of external stakeholders, seeks to develop a shared cross-society vision for the role of trees, woods and forests in Ireland's future. Work in this group is well under way. We will conduct an extensive public consultation strategy on the new forest strategy, to be carried out in the second half of 2021. It is envisaged that the new forest strategy will be launched in 2022.
I see this as an exciting opportunity to reframe the discussion on forestry in Ireland, which can be very divisive at times, and to engage all citizens in shaping this long-term strategy. I look forward to engaging with all parties during the public consultation phase.
The Minister of State is more familiar than I with all of the figures. Compared to the EU average of 30%, only 11% of Ireland is covered in trees, of which 49% is privately owned. The rate of native tree species is so low it is embarrassing. I am not here to say this. I am here to work with the Minister of State on the forestry strategy and the importance of it. All Deputies continually highlight the inadequate nature of what is happening, but we knew this from the Mackinnon report and beforehand. The Mackinnon report highlights it. O'Hara came in and said that we needed an implementation plan. We are beyond this. We have a biodiversity crisis and we have a climate emergency. We need urgent action. I welcome that the strategy will be published, but it is in 2022. When in 2022 will it be published? Is it January 2022?
The Deputy highlighted the work of Jo O'Hara, who has stayed on as a member of the project board, which oversees the work of the project woodland. Before questions in the Chamber today, I was on the European Forest Institute conference. There is a Europe-wide forestry strategy being created at the moment. The interaction between what we do here and across Europe is important, including with regard to shared scientific knowledge. As the Deputy said, forests will have a significant future role in how we adapt to climate change and how we mitigate climate change. Our forests need to adapt to that. They certainly must deliver on aspects of biodiversity, water quality, and other environmental measures that are so important to our country and our country's future.
We are beyond that. Despair might be a strong word, but one of the things that jumped out of the Mackinnon report was the complete lack of hope from the Department and in this sector in relation to what is going on. I do not have the report in front of me, although I usually do, but that is one aspect. While industry-led continuous pressure is important it should not be the main or leading voice when considering what is the sustainable way forward.
The Minister of State mentioned four streams. Are all four work streams representative of the views of the environment? Who is actually leading on this? The one big absence is that nobody is driving. Members can come to the House every week with questions on the backlogs and what has happened, but it is historical. It is more important now to grasp it, deal with it, and make forestry part of the solution for all of us. We have no choice about that.
Deputy Carthy can come in. We have one minute left.
I thank the Acting Chairman. I wish to reiterate the point that timber production is very important. In our earlier discussion, we spoke of the crisis in that area. This must be distinct from the forestry policy. I am aware that this is where the Minster of State is strongest in her ambition. I fear, however, that we do not have, nor have we ever had, a proper strategy based on the promotion of native broadleaf species, and the inclusion of as many people as possible. I have spoken on the importance of the farmer as stakeholder in this important aspect of forestry. There is probably scope on all farmland in the country for additional trees to be planted, if it is done in the right manner and if the supports are there. With every community group there is huge scope for urban green areas to be utilised. During the restricted periods we saw the importance of those types of spaces. All of those areas are under-utilised. Other European countries have areas the size of entire Irish counties where they can have forestry. We do not have that here so we need a different and ambitious approach.
I thank the Deputies. I agree that perhaps in the past there has been too much of an industry-led focus on this. Perhaps this is why we have ended up with the complications we now see with forestry and the acceptance in communities and acceptance among environmentalists also. My forestry policy group is made up of 25 people at the moment.
I would categorise there being one third from industry, one third from the environmental NGOs and slightly less than one third from State agencies such as the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the EPA. We also have community representation and I have charged Irish Rural Link to engage with the communities that feel most affronted and affected by forestry. I am trying to bring everyone on board. It is a massive task but all of these representations are on the work streams. I agree with Deputy Carthy that there is much scope for us to have smaller scale planting on farms, which would be readily acceptable to most farmers throughout the country. It is certainly something the Department and I are looking into.
