Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 April 2024
107. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the implementation of national forestry policies and programmes is consistent with the growth of the commercial forest estate or if the commercial timber supply risks being eroded over time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18270/24]
View answerI recognize that Ireland's existing commercial forest estate is an important and expanding supply of timber for the construction sector with significant amounts of timber exported to the UK and abroad. The recent COFORD "All Island Roundwood Production Forecast" predicts that the annual potential supply of roundwood timber will increase from around 5.6 million in 2023 to 7.9 million cubic metres by 2025. My Department has accordingly established a new Timber in Construction Steering Group which is focused on providing more opportunities to use more of our home grown timber in construction. This group has a number of areas they are examining such as regulations and standards, including markets and procurement.
A new Forest Strategy for 2023–2030 was published in September 2023, which was informed by comprehensive engagement and public consultation. This Strategy provides Ireland with a roadmap for the rest of this decade to put in place strong foundations for forests that deliver multi-faceted benefits. The Strategy is an ambitious one, and acknowledges the wishes of those consulted to see more diverse types of forests established. It’s implementation will result in a more heavily forested country with multi-functional and diverse forests delivering benefits for many key areas, including for wood production, the economy and rural development. The Forestry Programme 2023-2027 will be the primary means through which this Strategy is delivered in the short term.
The new Forestry Programme 2023-2027 therefore aims to encourage a substantial increase in the forest estate by offering attractive and diverse options for planting. This government has committed €1.3 billion of funding to the Programme in order to support our national ambition of 8,000 hectares of afforestation per year. The new Afforestation Scheme offers landowners a choice of 12 Forest Types which cover a broad range of planting options. It provides generous incentives to farmers in particular, to re-engage with forestry. These include increases in premium rates ranging from between 46% to 66%, along with a longer premium term of 20 years for farmers, compared to 15 years for non-farmers, across most Forest Types. A number of these forest establishment measures highlight the importance of conifers for timber production and these forests will further add to projected timber supply in the coming years. Broadleaved forests will take longer to mature, but will too provide valuable hardwood for use in construction in the future.
I would highlight that Afforestation is a voluntary land use choice for landowners and building confidence among landowners of the benefits of forestry, including that of commercial timber will be key to increasing afforestation rates. I recognize that consistent planting at scale for commercial timber supply is a challenge, but I am confident that the diverse range of forest types, coupled with attractive grants and premiums, will support landowners to plant trees in a manner that will provide lasting climate, biodiversity, wood production, employment and wider societal benefits.
