Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 January 2023
1756. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider dropping the obligation for the replanting of forestry as part of the new forestry programme, in order to encourage afforestation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63253/22]
View answerForestry in Ireland operates within a legal and regulatory framework. This is necessary in order to protect forests and also to ensure that forestry operations and activities are carried out in compliance with the principles of sustainable forest management.
Reforestation after felling is essential to prevent deforestation, which would otherwise counteract the benefits of the initial afforestation. The obligation to replant felled trees is required under the Forestry Acts, associated regulations and is not related to an individual Forestry Programme.
Legally-binding international environmental agreements and ‘carbon accounting’ (United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)) have also necessitated a policy to prevent deforestation due to the role forests play as sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases (GHG’s). The EU land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) regulation accounts for deforestation emissions.
Notwithstanding this policy to maintain forest cover through sustainable forest management (SFM), there are circumstances where deforestation will be legally permitted for environmental and social benefit. The DAFM Felling and Reforestation Policy 2017 outlines the scenarios where forests can be permanently removed under licence.
