Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 June 2023
515. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on the Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment processes that are currently being undertaken with regard to the Forestry Programme 2023-2027; when he expects these processes to conclude; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31296/23]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the new and ambitious €1.3bn Forestry Programme 2023-2027 will replace the previous Programme which expired at the end of 2022.
The new Programme will benefit farmers, rural communities and our overall climate and environment.
The new Programme is subject to State Aid approval, from the European Commission under the Guidelines in the agricultural and forestry sectors and in rural areas. It is also subject to an ongoing Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment process, which is well advanced.
My Department has been engaging proactively and intensively with the Commission in order to secure this approval. The Commission is currently reviewing Ireland's State Aid Notification and will decide whether the aid proposed under the new Programme is compatible with EU rules. To this end, I can confirm that my Department received further correspondence relating to our application from the Commission on 6 and 21 June. My Department will now respond to this correspondence comprehensively as soon as possible.
Once State Aid approval has been granted, the Strategic Environmental Assessment can be finalised, after incorporating any relevant outcomes of this process.
The launch of the Forestry Programme 2023-2027 is a matter of the utmost priority, as a comprehensive and well-subscribed Forestry Programme has the potential to deliver lasting benefits for climate change, biodiversity, wood production, economic development and quality of life.
