Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
2155. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated full-year cost to increase land under forestry or biodiversity regeneration by 25,000 hectares per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41458/22]
View answerThe current Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme, operated by my Department, offers a fixed grant towards the costs of establishment of afforestation, subject to the maximum laid down in the Scheme’s terms and conditions. In addition, annual premiums are payable on new forests that qualify for an afforestation grant.
The Scheme offers 12 different grant and premiums categories (GPC) based on different species options. Grants are payable in two instalments, on initial afforestation along with the first year’s premium and the remaining instalment four years later and premiums are paid over 15 years.
Our current planting target under the Climate Action Plan 2021 is 8,000 hectares per year. To increase the land owned by private landowners under forestry by 25,000 hectares, based on the mix of planting carried out in 2021, the total grant payable would be €52.011m and the total premiums would €84.463m (payable annually for 15 years). The total outlay for 25,000ha of new afforestation would therefore be €136,474m.
In terms of biodiversity, the amount specific to broadleaf/native tree types within this spend would be €47,206m. In addition, all conifer planting categories contain an obligation to have 15% broadleaf content.
These costings are based on grant and payment rates as set out in the Afforestation Programme 2014-2020 as extended to 2022. The proposed new national forestry strategy and Forestry Programme, currently under development within my Department will seek to incentivise landowners to plant trees in a way that addresses environmental considerations, including biodiversity.
It's worth noting that Coillte is responsible for the management of 440,000 hectares of Ireland's forests. In its recent new forestry strategic vision Coillte outlined plans to grow 100,000 hectares of new forests by 2050 and to increase the area of its forest estate being primarily managed for nature from 20% to 50% in the long term, by enhancing and restoring biodiversity and planting new woodlands, half of which will be native woodlands.
