Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

-----overall is increase the area under forestation nationally from 11.5% at present to 18% by 2050. We are looking to do that by encouraging ordinary farmers to do that. We will see ordinary farmers looking to do that. Small bits across the country add up very significantly. It will not be two bits the size of Louth but lots of small bits of forest - a hectare here, a couple of hectares there and 10 ha somewhere else. That will add up and make a real difference, drive on and support family farm incomes, and make a real difference in relation to biodiversity, carbon capture and emissions reduction. When farmers look at the premiums that are there and the opportunity, and also at their farming platform, many will see the real opportunities. That is the way we will be able to go about it.

What I would say is that the land across the country is in farmers' hands. Farmers have all this land. Farmers do not give land away easily, as Senator Lombard well knows, but what we are encouraging farmers to do is look at where on their farms they can use that land to plant. We are empowering them to do that and giving them the family farm income that will make it worth their while as well. We will make a real impact.

We have discussed where we are at with regard to confidence. We have also discussed how we put the platform in place. We will use that platform to turn the confidence into building this scheme. The Minister of State, Senator Hackett, the Government and I will lead out and deliver on this.