Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 April 2023
321. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of ACRES applicants who have applied for the tree planting measure in the scheme; the estimated number of plants required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18775/23]
View answer322. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of ACRES applicants who have applied for the tree planting measure in the scheme, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18776/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 321 and 322 together.
ACRES is the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme which is the central agri-environment climate measure in Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023-2027. Participants in ACRES commit to undertake, under their ACRES contract, certain actions for a period of five years.
There are two approaches within ACRES – an ACRES General approach offering a range of General Actions for farmers; and a Co-operation Project approach, available to farmers in defined high priority geographical areas.
Within the range of ACRES actions from which farmers could select at the time of application, there are a number of tree planting options.
The following table relates specifically to the numbers, by county, who availed of a "Tree planting" action:
No of herds with ACRES action "Tree Planting"
|
County |
ACRES Co-operation |
ACRES General |
Total |
|
Carlow |
3 |
61 |
64 |
|
Cavan |
2 |
162 |
164 |
|
Clare |
5 |
99 |
104 |
|
Cork |
24 |
525 |
549 |
|
Donegal |
27 |
134 |
161 |
|
Dublin |
4 |
4 |
|
|
Galway |
5 |
206 |
211 |
|
Kerry |
32 |
187 |
219 |
|
Kildare |
10 |
10 |
|
|
Kilkenny |
119 |
119 |
|
|
Laois |
26 |
26 |
|
|
Leitrim |
9 |
12 |
21 |
|
Limerick |
14 |
143 |
157 |
|
Longford |
57 |
57 |
|
|
Louth |
3 |
12 |
15 |
|
Mayo |
9 |
184 |
193 |
|
Meath |
72 |
72 |
|
|
Monaghan |
122 |
122 |
|
|
Offaly |
1 |
20 |
21 |
|
Roscommon |
4 |
137 |
141 |
|
Sligo |
10 |
55 |
65 |
|
Tipperary |
4 |
142 |
146 |
|
Waterford |
5 |
87 |
92 |
|
Westmeath |
101 |
101 |
|
|
Wexford |
2 |
118 |
120 |
|
Wicklow |
2 |
55 |
57 |
|
Total |
161 |
2,850 |
3,011 |
Each applicant was permitted to select the appropriate number of trees for their own application within the parameters of a maximum of 300 and a minimum of 10 if chosen as a general action, and a minimum of 100 if chosen as a priority action.
The specific requirements in relation to each of the tree planting actions may be found in the ACRES Tranche 1 Specification document available on my Department's website at www.gov.ie/ACRES.
