Paul Kehoe
Ceist:121 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of hectares of forestry which will be planted in 2003; and if further approvals for planting grant aid will be made. [27058/02]
Other Questions. - Afforestation Programme.
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:577 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his proposals for the development of the forestry industry in 2003, in both the public and private sector; his proposals for further afforestation; if this represents an increase on the 2002 performance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2155/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 121 and 577 together.
As the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, has indicated, funding available this year under the forestry subhead will be focused on the maintenance of a viable planting programme. In this regard, approvals for new afforestation projects will continue to be issued. Planting levels in 2003 are expected to reach at least 10,000 hectares and I hope this figure will be increased during the year. Despite the changed budgetary situation, the Government remains fully committed to the long-term development of the forestry sector and I will ensure that this commitment will be reiterated in the current negotiations on a new national partnership agreement.
I am conscious of the serious concerns among forestry stake holders in relation to the budgetary situation. There have been extensive consultations with the forestry sector, involving the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, and my officials. These consultations were undertaken to ensure a positive outcome in terms of maintaining confidence in the sector, with regard to the contribution of forestry to the economy, rural development and sustainable local employment. On that basis, following the feedback which the Minister of State and my officials received from the sector, I decided that the primary focus in 2003 should be on maintaining the afforestation programme. As I stated earlier, approvals for new afforestation projects have been issued. I have also introduced new procedures in relation to processing afforestation applications, to ensure that those who wish to plant in the short to medium term will be accommodated during the current planting season. This is a pragmatic response to the changed budgetary situation and will allow the delivery of a viable planting programme in 2003.
I assure the Deputy that the Government remains strongly committed to the continued development of the forestry sector. I welcome the input of the various forestry stake holders to the process in light of the changed budgetary situation and I look forward to working closely with representatives of the forestry groups in taking these matters forward.
The Minister did not say that when the Book of Estimates was being discussed before Christmas, when aspects of the forestry industry, such as planting, were suffering. I am worried that the moneys that have been invested in forestry by nursery stock owners planters and others will be lost as a result of the cuts in the Estimates. Did the Minister say he hopes to increase planting in 2003, compared with the 2002 figure?
I hope that planting levels will reach more than 10,000 hectares this year
I would like the Minister to ensure that money continues to be invested in forestry, as it is a viable alternative to agriculture for many people. I am glad to hear that planting is to be increased.
The amount of taxpayers' money to be invested this year in the forestry area is €82.58 million, which is a substantial sum. This is a reduction from the all-time high of the previous year of more than €100 million. Since 1997, more than €540 million – an average spend of €90 million per year – has been spent on forestry. That is, in anyone's terms, a very substantial investment by the taxpayer and a commitment by the Government to invest in the forestry industry.
From the Minister's comments that the limited resources will be concentrated on continuing the current forestry programme, I infer that the two innovative schemes that held great hope for environmentalists and people interested in forestry, namely, the neighbourhood wood scheme and the native woodland scheme, are effectively being cut, as their budgets have been slashed. These programmes have taken years in development and represent a move away from the concentration on soft wood and exotic conifers, which have very low economic value, towards not only forests of high amenity value but also, in the long run, high-value native hardwood timber. Those projects have been the first to suffer in the fairly dramatic cutbacks introduced by the Minister. Can the Minister confirm that they will get funding this year? Roughly how much will they get?
Are we not hopelessly behind the targets set in the 1996 programme? Could the Minister explain again why he opposes part of the current EU directive on the protection of the forest environment?
Decisions on the neighbourhood wood and native woodland schemes will made shortly by the Minister of State, Deputy Browne.
What about the Minister?
The Deputy is right: they are excellent schemes.
They are about to be cut.
It is important that I restate that the amount of taxpayers' money going into this area is nearly €86 million in the current year, which in anyone's terms is substantial.
Would the Minister not put some of that into—
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle
Would the Deputy please allow the Minister to reply?
I do not for one minute accept that there will be doom and gloom in this area. As Deputy Broughan has said, it will allow for the commitments made to be achieved.
If the Minister put some percentage of the money into the schemes—
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle
If Deputies wish to ask a supplementary question they should write it down.
The native woodland scheme was the one scheme which gave hope to environmentalists – an innovative scheme that showed there was a future that did not involve producing Sitka spruce from the top to the bottom of the country. The Minister may be spending €90 million but if he does not spend it on the native woodland scheme there is no long-term future for the forestry industry.
That is not a question. I said in response to the Deputy's earlier question that decisions would be made shortly on those schemes.
It is to be hoped they will be the right decisions.