Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2022
1115. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the targets of his Department for the planting of forestry in 2022 considering that in order to merely keep the national forestry acreage constant 12,000 hectares would need to be planted in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13934/22]
View answer1116. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of forestry licences issued to farmers in January and February 2022 by type of licence in tabular form given that in order to merely keep the national forestry acreage constant 12,000 hectares would need to be planted in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13935/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1115 and 1116 together.
The Climate Action Plan 2021 had identified an annual target of 8,000 hectares for afforestation. I do acknowledge that this is an ambitious target, given the level of planting last year. However along with Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, my priority this year is on increasing the number of afforestation licences issued.
We intend to double the number of afforestation licences to 1,040, which on average would represent 8,000 hectares. We have in addition 5,200 hectares already approved which has not been planted and we have recently written to applicants to remind them to use their approval before it expires. We will also be looking to all involved in forestry to promote the benefits of planting, especially as a complementary activity to farming, and we will be doing our part to communicate this message widely to all parts of society.
In relation to January and February 2022 105 afforestation licences were issued and of those 64 were issued to farmers.
Full details of all licences issued by category is available on the weekly dashboard found at www.gov.ie/en/publication/3b8b5-2022-forestry-weekly-dashboard/
