Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 April 2023
1135. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide his response to the issue of only four afforestation licences in March 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17495/23]
View answerThe Government recently launched the new €1.3 billion Forestry Programme 2023-2027. Subject to State Aid approval, this will support the biggest and best-funded Forestry Programme to date in Ireland. This funding provides unprecedented incentives to encourage the planting of trees that can provide a valuable addition to farm income and also to help meet our national climate and biodiversity objectives.
Currently, while we await State Aid approval we can only issue licences for non-grant aided afforestation applications, however my Department has put in place an Interim Afforestation Scheme (via De Minimis) which provides the option of immediate planting for those with valid grant aided approvals to end December 2022. To date in 2023, we have granted 241 afforestation applications representing 1,501 hectares under the De Minimis Scheme.
For those that wish to wait for the launch of the Forestry Programme 2023 -2027, unused valid Afforestation licences are being extended until the end of 2023 to give landowners every opportunity to plant and they will attract increased premium rates and a longer term of 20 years for farmers.
In terms of afforestation applications which were applied for before 31st December, 2022, but not issued, we are continuing to process these so that they can transition into the new Programme as seamlessly as possible when it opens.
My Department is proactively engaging with the European Commission with a view to securing full State Aid approval as soon as possible.
