Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 March 2018
176. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a forestry plantation (details supplied); if it will be reinspected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10455/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraLands submitted under the afforestation schemes must be capable of establishing a forest crop to full rotation and any site which cannot be adequately drained should not be submitted for preplanting approval or for payment. The owner planted the forest in 2005, consisting of 3 plots on a total site of 15.92ha. Following inspection, Plot 1, consisting of 3.15 ha, was excluded from the eligible payment area because of flooding and drainage problems.
An appeal lodged in January 2006 against the Department’s decision to exclude Plot 1 was unsuccessful, with the Appeals Inspector reporting, following a re-inspection, that “Plot 1 is unplantable due to poor drainage evident on site and no obvious potential outlet nearby”.
A further inspection in November 2006 reported that Plot 1 was “again under water”.
A further appeal was submitted in April 2010 and a further inspection was carried out, but the appeal was unsuccessful, with the Appeals Inspector reporting “no evidence of new drainage works that would alleviate the original flooding problem’.
In 2015, a further review of Plot 1 was carried out following a request of the named owner. The original decision to exclude the area from the grant application was upheld during this review. The reason provided for the decision was that lands that have a high water table and cannot be drained to alleviate flooding are not conducive to the successful establishment of trees to maturity.
Another inspection of the area was carried out in February 2018. The results of the inspection report will be communicated to the named person when available.
