Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In response to Deputy Healy-Rae, the point is that we are putting massive amounts of taxpayers' money into the premiums for forestry and, therefore, we must make sure trees are being planted in areas that serve the public interest well in terms of where the money is being paid to put in forestry. We are paying for the planting of it and we are paying 20 years of premiums to farmers. The assessment in regard to peat-based soil is that where it is above a depth of 30 cm, from an emissions and carbon point of view, despite the fact that a tree is growing in it, it emits more carbon than it sequesters. When we plant in soil that has less than 30 cm of peat, it sequesters more carbon than it emits. When we plant in mineral soils, it is very positive in terms of the carbon sequestration. A lot has been learnt from where forestry has been planted previously. That is the reason and rationale in terms of providing a licence but also in terms of providing very significant funding for the planting of forestry. We must ensure we are doing it in appropriate places.