Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 April 2023
113. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the new Forestry Programme, including when it is expected that new applications will be accepted into the scheme. [18549/23]
View answerThe new and ambitious €1.3bn Forestry Programme 2023-2027 will replace the previous Forestry Programme of 2014-2020 (extended to 2022) which expired at the end of 2022.
We have been working intensively and proactively with the European Commission to secure State Aid approval for the new Programme. Once State Aid approval that has been received we will be in a position to launch the new Programme, pending finalisation of the Strategic Environmental Assessment, which I am assured is nearing completion.
In addition, my Department recently received State aid approval through the Agricultural Block Exemption Regulation (EU) 2022/2472 for some of the measures in the draft Forestry Programme 2023-2027.
These include the Forest Road Scheme, Innovative Forest Technology Scheme , Reconstitution Scheme, Reconstitution Scheme for Ash Dieback, Forestry Knowledge Transfer Groups (KTGs), Training Call for proposals, Forest Promotion and Continuous Professional Development. My Department are now accepting application for forest roads this week and are examining the possibilities to open a number of the other schemes for applications very shortly.
At this time, all applications that are in the system are being worked on and processed in the normal manner, progressing to the point just before certification and approval. The aim is to have all the work done on as many grant aid files as possible so that approvals will be ready to issue as soon as the state aid approval is granted.
I launched the Interim De Minimis scheme for afforestation and roads to help bridge the lacuna between the old and new Forestry Programmes. As you are aware, there are 1,023 approved afforestation licences with 7,591 ha ready for planting and to date over 1,500ha hectares have been approved for planting under the Interim De Minimis scheme.
I assure you that the launch of the new €1.3bn Forestry Programme 2023-2027 is a matter of the utmost priority for me and my Department.
