Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Up until now, any plantation above 0.1 ha would count towards our figures but people would have to apply for a licence for it, even if it was between 0.1 ha and 1 ha. This means that it is much more practical for anybody who wants to plant. On reaching the target of 8,000 ha, up until now, the target would be for 30% to be deciduous or native trees anyway. We need to be as ambitious as we can. The target set out in the climate action plan is 8,000 ha. I would like to go further than that and would encourage that we do. That is the objective that we set out with regard to reaching the assigned carbon sequestration targets. A hectare of forestry will contribute to that. If 10 ha are planted 1 ha at a time, native trees on ten different farms will have the same sequestration capacity as 10 ha. It is not in any way to inhibit or reduce our ambition elsewhere. We will push in every way that we can and we should seek to surpass that 8,000 ha. The figure of 8,000 ha is the target in the climate action plan.