Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 January 2023
331. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the area of afforestation applied for each year of the past forestry programme and the actual area planted in each of those years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3870/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe table below shows the hectares applied for in each of the years of the forestry programme 2015-2020 as prolongated to 2022, the hectares approved in these years and the area planted in hectares. The deputy should be aware that there are many instances where the full area approved is not planted.
There are now 1,007 approved afforestation contracts with over 7,000ha are ready for planting, with 57% of these approvals issued in 2022.
I am confident that the €1.3 billion funding for the new forestry programme will incentivise farmers and other landowners to embrace forestry as a attractive land use option over the next five years.
|
Year |
HECTARES APPLIED FOR |
HECTARES APPROVED |
ACTUAL AREA PLANTED |
|
Year |
HECTARES APPLIED FOR |
HECTARES APPROVED |
ACTUAL AREA PLANTED |
|
2015 |
15,855 |
13,295 |
6,293 |
|
2016 |
13,280 |
11,344 |
6,500 |
|
2017 |
11,483 |
9,980 |
5,536 |
|
2018 |
8,623 |
6,964 |
4,025 |
|
2019 |
7,756 |
4,346 |
3,550 |
|
2020 |
7,070 |
4,365 |
2,434 |
|
2021 |
4,606 |
4,218 |
2,016 |
|
2022 |
4,302 |
4,672 |
2,273 |
