Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 May 2024
472. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide a breakdown, per county of the number of people employed by the timber sector; if, in the face of persistent challenges, he is concerned about the long-term prospects of the critical local employment provided by the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22741/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department does not collect information on forestry employment at national or at county level. Employment statistics are collected by the Central Statistics Office who can provide high level employment details across a broad range of sectors.
However COFORD, who provide advice to my Department, have carried out an analysis and their report titled "Economic activity and employment levels within the Irish forest sector" is publicly available from their website, www.coford.ie. Their report, which was published in 2022, estimates that total direct and indirect employment in 2020 within the "Forestry and Logging" sector is 3,501 full time equivalents. It further estimates that the employment levels in the "Manufacturing of Wood and Wood Products" sector is 5,922 full time equivalents. While these figures do not capture all employment within the sector they provide a good baseline of overall activity levels.
Forestry plays an important role in supporting direct and indirect employment in many rural locations across Ireland. The management of forests, including the harvesting and planting of trees, provide a wide range of jobs. Irelands forest resource, that has been created over the last century, is providing increasing amounts of timber that are now ready for harvesting. Increased levels of harvesting will take place over the next 10 years and will generate increased levels of employment in the mobilisation of timber. It is estimated that timber production will increase from approximately 5 million cubic metres in 2024 to 7 million cubic metres by 2035. This level of harvesting will also require over 10,000 ha of forests to be replanted following clearfelling. Coupled with areas that will be replanted is the requirement to plant new forests through afforestation. The COFORD report estimates that in 2020 approximately 75.6% of employment levels accounted for harvesting and reforestation activities. Our existing forest estate will continue to require a range of people to manage these forests as they are harvested and replanted into the future. My Department continues to provide significant grants and premiums and the current €1.3 billion forestry programme supports rural communities in the grants and premiums distributed nationally. I am conscious that we also need to increase afforestation levels to further expand our forest estate and add additional jobs to the workforce. The Forestry Programme 2023-2027 and the new Forest Strategy recently published recognises the important contribution that our forests make to climate, the timber they produce and the economic contribution they provide.
