Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 September 2023
234. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action his Department is taking to increase native woodland establishment targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40774/23]
View answer235. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action his Department is taking to ensure that the native woodland establishment scheme is a viable options for investors, in view that the current allowable land for planting this schedule is priced above the financial return from the premiums; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40775/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 234 and 235 together.
The Forestry Programme 2023-2027 replaces the previous Forestry Programme of 2014-2020 (extended to 2022) which expired at the end of 2022. This €1.3 billion Forestry Programme was created in alignment with Ireland’s new Forest Strategy and as such is designed to provide lasting benefits for many key areas including climate change and biodiversity,
The annual broadleaf target in this Programme has increased from 30% to 50% of total annual planting. This is reflected in a substantial increase of 66% in premium rates for the establishment of a native forest with €1,103 per hectare available to plant native forests and €1,142 per hectare payable for native forests for water over a period of 15 or 20 years.
The Programme seeks to provide incentives for all landowners while at the same time placing farmers firmly at the centre of a suite of new and improved forestry schemes. There is, however, also a role for non-farmer investors in helping to achieve our ambitious afforestation targets and the Forestry Programme provides for this. This includes support for the creation of new forests in Ireland through the harnessing of funding and assets from private and public sources, including afforestation grants and premiums, to provide long term social returns for all stakeholders. In other words, where land is in private ownership, whether farmer or non-farmer, it will be eligible for grants and premiums under the new Programme. I am committed to working with all of our stakeholders to substantially increase our afforestation rates over the next decade.
My Department also intends to launch the Native Tree Area (NTA) Scheme shortly. An amendment to the Forestry Act removed the licensing requirement for the planting of native woodland in areas not greater than one hectare, and the NTA Scheme will, through its eligibility criteria, ensure that all tree planting works are undertaken in a legally compliant and sustainable manner. It is my objective to encourage and increase interest in small-scale planting, and I am confident that this change to the Act and the launch of the NTA Scheme will remove a barrier to such planting.
I am confident that the schemes we are offering for native woodland establishment will support all landowners who wish to provide lasting benefits to society, especially in terms of biodiversity, through the planting of native trees.
