Mr. Andrew St. Ledger:

I will respond on the matter of hedgerows and other woodlands. It includes scrub.

In 2014, the EPA produced a report that calculated there were more than 440,000 ha of hedgerows, scrub and random areas of woodland which have not been linked to our carbon footprint. The EPA has suggested that one hectare could sequester 3.3 tonnes of carbon. Multiplying 440,000 ha by 3.3 tonnes equals a substantial amount of carbon.

The hedgerow system is an example of agri-forestry that takes place in Ireland. Farmers in France and Austria have formed co-operatives to manage hedgerows, small woods and copses to supply local biomass for combined heat and power systems that are used in schools and communities located in public buildings. Such work is sustainable and provides farmers with an income in the wintertime, which is welcome. At the moment these areas of woodland are not included in carbon calculations but should be.