Dr. Eugene Hendrick:

I thank members for their questions. Deputy Cahill asked about the hen harrier. A hen harrier threat response plan is currently being worked on by the forest service and the National Parks and Wildlife Service and discussions are ongoing in that regard.

As regards the 4:1 ratio between enclosed and unenclosed land, work on the potential for unenclosed land to be used for afforestation has recently been carried out and published by Teagasc. A proposal to consider another way to approach the issue of unenclosed land is currently under discussion in the Department and with the European Commission but has not been decided upon.

Regarding the importation of biomass from the United States and so on, our goal in the forestry sector is to mobilise as much material as we can from the national forest estate, be that private or publically owned. Our opening statement outlined that there is the potential for 4 million cu. m of biomass from forests in Ireland to provide material for energy generation, be that heat or combined heat and power. Most of our effort is focused on that. Approximately 1 million cu. m of material for energy is currently being produced. We are trying to mobilise an additional 3 million cu. m between now and 2035. It is a very good business opportunity and a good model for local farmers and landowners.

I was not aware of the difficulty raised by Deputy Cahill in respect of the private contractor who cannot find a customer willing to buy 4,000 tonnes of thinnings for timber pulp. There are outlets available to private operators producing timber but we are working hard with the sector to develop local markets for forestry material such as stake wood, larger size material, sawn logs and energy wood. Much work is being done in that area. We are trying to encourage private sector involvement in sales as much as possible in terms of getting the material to market and developing the private sector. I do not know if members are aware of a report called Mobilising Ireland's Forest Resource. It was authored by the Coford Wood Mobilisation Group which considered many issues in respect of the mobilisation of wood from public and private sector forests and has made many recommendations. Much work is being carried out on implementing those findings and much has been done. For example, a forecast tool is now available on the Department website that enables any person to forecast the fellability of wood, whether it is energy wood, sawn timber or pulp wood, in any region of the country. It is specifically geared toward identifying potential resources and supply to come on stream in the coming years. The forecast goes up to 2035 and can be used by potential investors.

Deputy Martin Kenny asked about monoculture. The current target of forest policy is 70% conifer and 30% broadleaf. All plantations established now must have 15% of the total area allocated to biodiversity enhancement and must provide for mixed forest. One cannot get grant aid for a monoculture. If one wants to receive a grant, one must put in additional species, either through intimate mixtures or parts of the existing forest.

Deputy Kenny raised the issue that once an area is afforested, people cannot farm the land thereafter. There are several very good reasons for land having to be replanted when trees are finally cut down following afforestation in terms of timber supply and climate change because once that carbon is sequestered, the assumption is that it will stay in the forest indefinitely. If one starts to deforest those areas, that carbon will be released into the atmosphere. It is very important to try to maintain the forest cover we have in order that our targets are achieved in terms of our expectations relating to the forest we grant aid. There is an agroforestry measure available under the afforestation scheme for people to plant trees and they then can run sheep or possibly cattle in those areas provided protection is used for the trees and so on.

The forest service takes potential pollution extremely seriously and there is much guidance available on forest establishment, silt traps, setbacks from streams, the composition of the forest and so on. Much is being done in that regard. Afforestation grant aid is contingent on those setbacks and other measures being met in regard to potential sediment and so on that may come from a forest at afforestation stage. One will not be granted aid unless one meets the various criteria and there is much guidance in that regard.

Regarding the supply side generally, the Sitka spruce we plant is an excellent timber and can be used for a range of applications, as I am sure members are aware. It can be used to manufacture boards and stakes and as structural timber. The main goal of afforestation through spruce plantations is to grow structural timber. It is made into C16, which is structural timber, for use in the Irish or export market. We have a very large and dynamic export market in the UK for Irish timber and it has been a great success story for sawmills to get into that market.

Deputy Cahill raised the issue of the import of biomass and so on. We in the forest sector are focused on providing the means, policies and measures to exploit our existing resource. We have a biomass supply chain.

On the last occasion I was here we spoke about support for the costings of the biomass supply chain and wood energy developments. I have mentioned the forecasting tool we use to advise people on the supply of the indigenous markets. There is a lot going on in that space and there is huge potential to increase the level of harvest and support rural development and jobs in rural areas.