Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 June 2021
487. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when his Department will issue a policy document regarding the 20% rule on unenclosed land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34113/21]
View answerA decision was made by the Department to restrict the planting of unenclosed land in December 2010, to no more than 20% of any one application. (Circular 10 of 2010 - Changes to Afforestation Grant and Premium Schemes 2011)
Unenclosed land is, in general, less fertile and more exposed than enclosed land and trees planted on unenclosed land generally do not perform as well as trees planted on soil types associated with enclosed land.
Prior to the decision to restrict planting of unenclosed land, a number of well-known studies supported the position that habitat types associated with unenclosed land are more environmentally sensitive than enclosed land.
At the time, another consideration was the fact that many plantations on unenclosed land that received grant and premium aid failed which required the Department to recoup the monies paid. This was a difficult process for the applicants and the Department.
Concerns also existed in relation to the importance of unenclosed land for foraging and breeding by a wide range of protected bird species (e.g. Hen harrier). Similarly, concerns existed in relation to undesignated Annex 1 habitats such as wet and dry heath, and highly endangered protected species such as freshwater pearl mussel, whose life cycle is dependent on natural habitats typically associated with unenclosed land. Such environmental issues were discussed at this time with the European Commission.
Hen harrier, Freshwater Pearl mussel, Breeding waders including Curlew and High Nature Value farmland remain key concerns of the Commission in relation to Ireland's afforestation programme.
The planting on unenclosed land will be reviewed in the context of Project Woodland by Working Group 4.
