Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 July 2024
578. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the terms of support for the plantation of new forestry; the increase that this represents compared to what was there before; the take-up of the new scheme since it was announced; and the take-up he projects over the period to 2030. [29496/24]
View answerThe new Forestry Programme 2023-2027 aims to encourage a substantial increase in afforestation by offering attractive and diverse options for planting, especially for farmers. 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 Afforestation Scheme 2023-2027 offers landowners a choice of 12 Forest Types which cover a broad range of planting options. It provides generous incentives which cover the cost of establishment and fencing of the forest and an annual premium which will encourage landowners and farmers in particular to re-engage with forestry. Premia rates for Afforestation increased from between 46% to 66% compared to the old Forestry Programme, along with the introduction of a longer premia term of 20 years for farmers, compared to 15 years for non-farmers across most Forest Types. My Department has also launched a completely new Native Tree Area Scheme which facilitate small scale planting of native tree areas without the need to first obtain an afforestation licence.
At present, there are approximately 4,273 hectares approved and available to plant through the Afforestation and Native Tree Area Schemes, of which my Department has received notifications of the intention to plant for 1,802 hectares. In addition, some 808 hectares have been planted and paid for to date in 2024, with applications for payment being submitted and paid on a weekly basis.
Afforestation is a voluntary land use choice for landowners and I know that building confidence among landowners of the benefits of forestry is key to increasing afforestation rates. In order to encourage uptake we have engaged in extensive promotion of the new forestry options and enhanced payments available, including an ongoing media campaign across all communication channels. Furthermore we are funding 42 stakeholder projects which will promote the Forestry Programme through a wide variety of approaches. These will engage with the wider community to highlight the benefits of forests to deliver multiple societal objectives, including economic, social and environmental.
