Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 November 2023
446. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of afforestation licences issued to date in 2023 as a percentage of his Department's targets in this area for 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52175/23]
View answer459. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to review correspondence (detail supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52332/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 446 and 459 together.
The Forestry Programme 2023 -2027 has been approved by Government, and both the afforestation and forest roads schemes are open to applications, and existing applications are being migrated over to this scheme as the applicants opt in. My Department has begun to issue afforestation and roads licences under the new Programme, while felling licences continued and continue to issue as normal.
Given we are now in a position to issue all licences, the publication of a new Forestry Licensing Plan can be expected before the end of the current Oireachtas term.
To date in 2023, my Department has issued 2,931 forestry licences of all types. This represents 1,325 Coillte felling licences and 1,344 private felling licences, 203 forest road licences and 59 new afforestation licences (548 Ha’s).
In addition to the above, DAFM have processed 59 (558 Ha’s) applications already approved under Forestry Programme 2014 – 2020 that hadn’t commenced planting and have now opted in to the new Forestry Programme 2023 – 2027.
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 at the end of 2022 can avail of the higher grant proposed under the new Programme.
Approvals under the new Reconstruction of Ash dieback scheme (RADs) have begun with 75 approvals amounting to 359 Ha’s. Finally, 11 approvals have been processed to date under the Native Tree Area Scheme amounting to 11.59 Ha’s.
In addition to the figures outlined above and in recognition of the need for forestry activity to continue, pending the launch of the new Programme, earlier this year, my Department introduced an Interim Afforestation Scheme and an Interim Forest Road Scheme. In 2023, a total of 288 applications were approved under the Interim Afforestation Scheme, representing 1,750 hectares. Under the interim roads scheme, 159 approvals have issued representing 70,222 metres.
