Wednesday, 18 Jan 2023

Forestry Sector

Ceisteanna (1779)

Verona Murphy

Ceist:

1779. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the percentage of the forestry budget for 2022 that will be spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63774/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The expenditure under the Forestry Budget for 2022 is shown in the table following.

-	Budget Allocation	Spend 2022	% of Allocation spent
Capital	€96,038,000	€70,461,907	73
Current	€4,043,000	€3,623,981	90
Total	€100,081,000	€74,085,988	74

The shortfall in spending is primarily due to the anticipated level of planting not being reached, with 2,273 hectares planted against a target of 8,000 hectares. This is often a feature of the final year of a Programme, as those with valid licences adopt a 'wait and see' attitude to see whether they would benefit from transitioning to the new Forestry Programme 2023 2027. This is borne out by the fact that at the end of 2022 there were over 1,000 approved afforestation licences with a total of 7,500 hectares.

It is my expectation that the proposed increases announced for the new Programme will encourage increased uptake. In advance of the Programme being announced I have facilitated those with valid afforestation licences by allowing them to immediately opt in to an Interim Afforestation Scheme ( via De Minimis), which offers the same increases in grant aid and premiums.

Departmental Meetings

Ceisteanna (1780)

Paul Kehoe

Ceist:

1780. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of times in 2022 that he or his Department officials met a private sector forestry association (details supplied) that demonstrated outside Government buildings in November 2021 over its concerns regarding private forestry licence output; the dates of those meetings; the participants; the agenda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63775/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

It is the continued aim of both and I and Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has responsibility for the sector, to deliver a licensing system which meets the needs of all those who apply for forestry licences. I am pleased to say licencing output continues to improve year on year and in 2022 that we issued 4,713 forestry licences last year, which was over 90% of our target. It was a record year for the licencing of both timber for felling and new forest roads.

We have recently concluded a public consultation on the next Forestry Programme on which submissions from many stakeholders, including the named Group, were submitted and are being fully considered. The Programme, as part of the Forest Strategy Implementation Plan, is subject to public consultation as part of the Strategic Environmental Assessment/Appropriate Assessment process for a six week period which closed on the 29th of November. The Department is currently integrating feedback from more than 150 submissions on the Forest Strategy Implementation Plan received through that process and in parallel is in discussions with the EU Commission on securing State Aid approval for the new Programme.

Both my Department and I continue engaged with stakeholders on the measures that will be considered for the new Forestry Programme. Four bilateral meetings took place with members of the Forestry Policy Group (FPG) and details of Programme development were presented to all members of the FPG in June 2022. I am satisfied that the FPG is fully representative of all relevant stakeholders from across the forestry sector.

More recently we have conducted a number of different bilateral meetings with relevant stakeholders including those from the the forestry sector and farm organisations to update on the plans for implementation of the Forestry programme and progress in securing the EU State Aid approval, including the interim scheme in place. We continue to keep any interested stakeholders updated on these as it progresses.

Question No. 1781 answered with Question No. 1778.

Coillte Teoranta

Ceisteanna (1782, 1783, 1784, 1785, 1786, 1787, 1788, 1789, 1791, 1792, 1795, 1800, 1801, 1802, 1803, 1807, 1808, 1809, 1816, 1817, 1842, 1851, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1878, 1879, 1880)

Amharc ar fhreagra

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

1795. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the proposed new joint venture between Coillte and institutional investment companies will be entitled to avail of the ash dieback reconstitution and underplanting scheme, RUS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63793/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Michael Lowry

Ceist:

1800. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is a policy within his Department to restore farmer confidence in afforestation or to increase afforestation levels through joint ventures between the State’s forestry company and large-scale institutional investment funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63811/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Michael Lowry

Ceist:

1801. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he instructed Coillte to become involved in afforestation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63812/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Michael Lowry

Ceist:

1802. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any proposed arrangement between Coillte and a company (details supplied) requires ministerial approval or approval from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission or any other regulatory body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63813/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Michael Lowry

Ceist:

1803. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the attention of the director of forestry was drawn to the proposed new arrangement between Coillte and a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63814/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Matt Carthy

Ceist:

1807. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has been informed as to which party initiated the discussions between Coillte and a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63870/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Matt Carthy

Ceist:

1808. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on any proposed joint venture with the State forestry company Coillte and UK based investment funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63871/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Matt Carthy

Ceist:

1809. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of times that his officials have met with Coillte regarding any proposed new arrangement with a company (details supplied); when these meetings took place; the persons who attended the meetings; if minutes of the meetings were taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63872/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

1816. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the terms of the agreement between Coillte and an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63972/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

1817. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the attention of the Secretary General of his Department was drawn to the discussions between Coillte and an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63973/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Carol Nolan

Ceist:

1842. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on reports that approximately 12,000 ha of forestry land will be sold to a UK-based firm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1414/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Fergus O'Dowd

Ceist:

1851. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on concerns and proposals raised by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1766/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Matt Carthy

Ceist:

1857. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if land acquired arising from the joint venture between Coillte and an organisation (details supplied) will be owned by the semi-state body; the ownership of any associated harvesting rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1959/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Matt Carthy

Ceist:

1858. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when his attention and that of his Department was first drawn to the joint venture between Coillte and an organisation (details supplied); his Department’s interactions with Coillte in this regard; if he will instruct Coillte to stall the venture until a full public engagement on the matter is facilitated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1972/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Matt Carthy

Ceist:

1859. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the powers that he has to stall the joint venture between Coillte and an organisation (details supplied); if he will be using those powers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1973/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Martin Browne

Ceist:

1878. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has concerns that the €200 million arrangement between an organisation (details supplied) and Coillte will push up land prices, with the potential to adversely impact the ability of private foresters to compete in the market and will put the cost of land beyond the reach of farmers generally; if his attention has been drawn to reports that in countries such as Scotland, where similar arrangements are in place, land prices have increased substantially; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2135/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Martin Browne

Ceist:

1879. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when his attention was first drawn to the agreement between Coillte and an organisation (details supplied); if he engaged with Coillte when his attention was drawn to the arrangement; the outcome of any such meeting; if he engaged with farmers or farmers’ organisations on the arrangement upon being informed of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2136/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Martin Browne

Ceist:

1880. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has any concerns that the availability of forest premia to private small-scale foresters will become diminished as a result of their availability to large scale funds such as an organisation (details supplied) upon the arrangement between Coillte and said organisation; his views on whether the forest grant scheme should focus on farmers and private Irish forestry owners; if he has given consideration to amending the forestry grant scheme to exclude or reduce the incentive for funds such as the organisation concerned, to put land out of the reach of such operators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2137/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1782 to 1789, inclusive, 1791, 1792, 1795, 1800 to 1803, inclusive, 1807 to 1809, inclusive, 1816, 1817, 1842, 1851, 1857 to 1859, inclusive, and 1878 to 1880, inclusive, together.

Coillte is a private limited company established under the Forestry Act 1988 and is operationally independent from the Minister and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I am, therefore, not in position to comment on any operational issues relating to the establishment of the new investment fund. The Department will forward these queries to Coillte for direct response to the Deputies concerned.

On the policy issues raised, the primary aim of the proposed new Forestry Programme is to enable Ireland to use its potential for afforestation to help meet its national emission reduction and biodiversity obligations while, at the same time, supporting the forestry sector and farm families. This is why the Government have committed €1.3 billion to this Programme, with substantially higher payments for farmers. This is biggest and best-funded Forestry Programme ever introduced by any Government here, and it has been designed to ensure that farmers will be its primary beneficiaries.

The afforestation targets set out in both the Programme and the Climate Action Plan are ambitious and will require the input of all stakeholders. It is Government policy that Coillte, as the State forestry company, should play its part too by re-engaging with afforestation and they have responded to this in their new Forestry Vision and Strategy. They have indicated that they will support the delivery of Ireland's afforestation targets through a suite of initiatives which will contribute 100,000 hectares by 2050. As the company is precluded following a decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union from directly receiving premiums, they have indicated that some of the implementation of their strategy will be collaboration with third parties in projects.

Farmers, being our biggest cohort of landowners, will have the most opportunity to benefit from the new Forestry Programme and will receive 33% more premium payments than any other landowner under the Programme. There is also a role for Coillte and for non-farmers in helping to achieve our ambitious afforestation targets, and the new Forestry Programme will provide for this too. This will include support for the creation of new forests in Ireland through the harnessing of funding and assets from private and public sources, including afforestation grants and premiums, to provide long term social returns for all stakeholders. In other words, where land is in private ownership, whether farmer or non-farmer, it will be eligible for grants and premiums under the new Programme, as is currently the case under the existing programme.

Coillte advised the Department of its proposed approach to increased afforestation during the development of their new Forestry Strategic Vision, which was launched on 21st April 2022. A Shareholder Letter of Expectation issued to Coillte on 2nd June 2022 which included a direction to the Company to “develop initiatives to support and realise the planting of such forests to a meaningful scale in the years ahead, whether as part of their core business or as participants in a subsidiary or partnership enterprise”. Prior to this there was ongoing contact between Coillte and the Ministers in the Department as well as our officials dating back to 2021 as they updated on the development of their Strategy. While the detail of an Investment Fund was not finalised or discussed in detail, Coillte indicated that it would be an enabler of new afforestation through the Coillte Nature initiative for planting native woodlands and through their involvement in Afforestation Funds focussed on commercial forestry.

As I have previously outlined, the question of consent or approval by the shareholders does not arise in relation to Coillte’s role in providing services to the Fund. It is an operational matter for Coillte and they were under no obligation to seek consent. My understanding is that the Fund became operational on 18 December 2022. I was informed that week of some the details of the proposals through correspondence from Coillte and that a public announcement would be made soon confirming the establishing Fund. This announcement was made on 8 January.

One of the other initiatives which Coillte are pursuing is the planting of native woodlands through their involvement in Nature Partners’ CLG. This is a non-commercial entity, which aims to increase the percentage of land under native woodlands. Coillte is providing management services and land acquisition services to the company but the company may procure these services other than from Coillte. I have asked Coillte to inform the interested Deputies directly on the plans for Coillte Nature CLG.

In conclusion, I am mindful of the ambitious targets we have signed up to in terms of afforestation. Both I and Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, want farmers to be the biggest beneficiaries of what we propose to do here. They get the longest premiums and benefit from complementary BISS supports in a way that institutional investors will not. Our new programme is the biggest and best-funded under any Government and our focus is now is on securing EU state aid approval as quickly as possible in order to introduce the Programme as quickly as possible.

Question No. 1783 answered with Question No. 1782.

Question No. 1784 answered with Question No. 1782.

Question No. 1785 answered with Question No. 1782.

Question No. 1786 answered with Question No. 1782.

Question No. 1787 answered with Question No. 1782.

Question No. 1788 answered with Question No. 1782.

Question No. 1789 answered with Question No. 1782.

Question No. 1790 answered with Question No. 1777.

Question No. 1791 answered with Question No. 1782.

Question No. 1792 answered with Question No. 1782.

Question No. 1793 answered with Question No. 1744.

Question No. 1794 answered with Question No. 1744.

Question No. 1795 answered with Question No. 1782.

Forestry Sector

Ceisteanna (1796, 1798, 1888)

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

1796. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the area of afforestation planted by the private sector and by Coillte, respectively, each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63794/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Darren O'Rourke

Ceist:

1798. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the target number of hectares of forestry to be planted in 2022; the final number reached in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63808/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Éamon Ó Cuív

Ceist:

1888. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of hectares of forestry planted by farmers in each of the past 20 years; the reasons for the decline in planting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2343/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1796, 1798 and 1888 together.

The area of forestry planted by the private sector and by Coillte, respectively, each year since 2000 is laid out in the table following.

Year	Private	Coillte	Total
2000	14,231	1,464	15,695
2001	15,147	317	15,464
2002	14,735	319	15,054
2003	8,969	128	9,097
2004	9,617	122	9,739
2005	10,032	64	10,096
2006	8,012	25	8,037
2007	6,947	-	6,947
2008	6,182	67	6,249
2009	6,613	35	6,648
2010	8,310	4	8,314
2011	6,591	62	6,653
2012	6,592	60	6,652
2013	6,249	3	6,252
2014	6,156	-	6,156
2015	6,284	9	6,293
2016	6,500	-	6,500
2017	5,536	-	5,536
2018	4,025	-	4,025
2019	3,550	-	3,550
2020	2,434	-	2,434
2021	2,016	-	2,016
2022	2,273	-	2,273

Increasing the area under forestry in the country remains a key priority for me and my Department.

The afforestation target for 2022 was 8,000 hectares as set out in the Climate Action Plan 2021. During 2022, 2,273 hectares were planted and I am acutely aware that this is considerably less than the target set and acknowledge the fact that afforestation rates have been declining in recent years. Afforestation is demand-led and there may be various reasons why landowners may choose not to plant trees such as competing uses for the land and issues relating to licensing.

We have improved output on licences and issued 4713 forestry licences in total in 2022 which is an increase of 663 on 2021, and is 90% of our published target. These improved outputs have been achieved through a commitment to continuous improvement, as well as through a significant investment in resources. It is hoped that this increase in licence output will remove one of the perceived barriers to planting.

It should be noted that at the end of 2022, there were over 1,000 approved afforestation licences with a total of 7,500 hectares ready for planting and it is hoped that the attractive rates offered will incentivise landowners to use their approval and plant their land either under the Interim Afforestation Scheme (via De Minimis) or under the new Forestry Programme 2023-2027 when it launches

The Deputy will be aware that we have secured funding of €1.3 billion for the Forestry programme 2023-2027. Subject to State Aid approval, this will support the biggest and best-funded Forestry Programme to date in Ireland. This funding provides unprecedented incentives to encourage the planting of trees that can provide a valuable addition to farm income and also to help meet our national climate and biodiversity objectives.

We have announced proposed increases in premiums for planting trees which range from between 46% to 66% along with a longer term of 20 years for farmers. The proposed Afforestation Scheme will include 12 Forest Types including new Forest Types such as Forests for Water, Emergent Forests and Continuous Cover Forestry from establishment. These new Forest Types will offer landowners additional choice and will bring added benefits for the environment and for biodiversity.

We also propose to launch a Native Tree Area Scheme following the completion of a Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment, subject to the findings of both assessments. As the Deputies may be aware, an amendment to facilitate this Scheme was made to the Forestry Act 2014, removing the licensing requirement for the planting of native woodland in areas not greater than one hectare. I hope that the proposed Scheme will contribute to the stated policy goal of incentivising small-scale tree planting and of re-engaging farmers with afforestation.

I am committed to working with all our stakeholders to substantially increase our afforestation rates over the next decade.

Question No. 1797 answered with Question No. 1778.

Question No. 1798 answered with Question No. 1796.