Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 October 2022
274. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of the call from a group (details supplied) for forest premiums in the next forestry programme not to be available to large scale institutional forestry investment funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52086/22]
View answerI am pleased to announce that the new National Forestry Strategy and Forestry Programme have been put out to public consultation this week and are available to view now on my Department's website.
The new Forestry Programme seeks to provide incentives for all landowners while at the same time placing farmers firmly at the centre of a suite of new and improved forestry schemes. The aim of the new Progamme is to enable Ireland to use its potential for afforestation to help meet its national emission reduction obligations while at the same time, increasing incomes on most farming systems.
There is, however, also a role for non-farmer investors in helping to achieve our ambitious afforestation targets and the new Forestry Programme will provide for this. This will include support for the creation of new forests in Ireland through the harnessing of funding and assets from private and public sources, including afforestation grants and premiums, to provide long term social returns for all stakeholders. In other words, where land is in private ownership, whether farmer or non-farmer, it will be eligible for grants and premiums under the new Programme, as is currently the case under the existing programme.
