Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
903. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 158 of 5 July 2023, if he will provide a bailout aid type package to private forestry companies in the absence of a forestry programme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35706/23]
View answerThe new Forestry Programme 2023-2027 is subject to State Aid approval under the Guidelines from the EU Commission. It is also subject to an ongoing Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment process, which is well advanced. We have engaged intensively with the EU Commission and now await their approval.
The Programme will run until 2027 and provides increased funding and attractive incentives for planting, forest management and knowledge transfer. This should benefit farmers, forest owners, and private forestry companies.
In recognition of the need for forestry activity to continue, and pending the launch of the new Programme, my Department engaged with the EU Commission last December to secure an interim solution which has led to the introduction of an Interim Afforestation Scheme, an Interim Forest Road Scheme and an interim Ash Dieback Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme via General De Minimis. This ensured that those with valid afforestation licences issued before the end of 2022 could avail of the current planting season under the higher grant and premium rates proposed under the new Programme. Likewise those with valid road licences and approvals under the Ash Dieback Scheme at the end of 2022 could avail of the higher grants and enhanced payment rates as proposed under the new Programme.
Given that the private forestry companies are not primary producers, I am not in position to introduce a support package for them at this time.
