Pippa Hackett (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair. I will go through his questions in no particular order. I have scribbled notes in front of me.

The Chair mentioned premiums for afforestation. That is something to look at in the next programme from 2023 onwards. When we decide what our new forestry strategy will be, it can feed into that. It will be a strategy for the next 50 years. As immediate an issue as forestry is at the moment, it is a long-term project. That is something we can examine.

On the proportions of spruce versus hardwood, there is no absolute figure on this. We need a balance. We are delivering for biodiversity and for the sector. One of the programme for Government commitments is to look at having a closer to nature forestry model across the board. Coillte is working on converting current Sitka spruce forests into continuous cover and that may be something we will look at down the line. It is a cause of deep frustration to many communities that the current model is that the crop is planted and then clear-felled 35 years later. It totally changes the environment and has a significant impact on the landscape and the land. We may, therefore, see more continuous cover of spruce going forward. We have to increase the amount of broadleaf planting we do as well. We do not have any hardwood processing facilities here. In the decades ahead, maybe we should look into whether that is worthy of consideration. There may be an examination of that over the next few years.

The unenclosed land piece was one of the recommendations of Jim Mackinnon's report. One could argue that unenclosed land tends to be upland or blanket bog. Many upland areas were planted 20 or 30 years ago that probably would not be planted today. We have to be cognisant of where we are planting. Hen harriers do not particularly want trees around them. They want big open spaces. In my area near the Slieve Blooms, afforestation is having an impact on that species. It is a protected species which we are actively trying to protect. We do not want trees in hen harrier areas and people would appeal an afforestation licence in an area close to a hen harrier zone. It is important to keep that in mind.

Mr. Collins will respond on the statutory instrument.