Michael Ring
Ceist:173 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo was refused an application for commercial planting. [1806/00]
Written Answers. - Afforestation Programme.
European Union law precludes my Department from grant aiding afforestation where it will have an adverse effect on the environment. It is a matter for my Department to form a view as to whether a particular proposal is likely to have such an effect. To assist in this matter, appropriate advice is sought from relevant competent bodies.
In the case in question, the views of the relevant regional fisheries board and local authority were sought. Both competent authorities were opposed to the application as they were of the opinion that afforestation would adversely affect the water quality in the Lough Conn catchment. Moreover, it is the opinion of my Department that the fertility of the site in question is such as to be unlikely to produce a commercial crop of trees. For the above reasons the proposal could not be grant-aided.
I remind the Deputy that alternative grant assistance may be available under the rural environment protection scheme, REPS, administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development.