Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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It is the Minister for agriculture who has primary responsibility for the delivery of afforestation levels. I will, however, make a broad point. The Deputy is correct. The scale of new afforestation we will need - I am speaking from memory here - is approximately 8,000 ha per annum if we are to meet the 2030 target. I will be honest; the long-term strategy agreed in Cabinet today indicates we need to increase that figure to approximately 30,000 ha per annum to achieve a target of 5 million tonnes of carbon storage. In truth, we must see a dramatic increase. We have done it in the past. In the early 1990s, the figure was 20,000 ha or more of afforestation, so it is not impossible for the sector to deliver that.

I am very confident that the new forestry programme will see a major increase, not just in traditional afforestation methods but also in agri-forestry, an area I am particularly interested and in which farming can continue at the same time as a significant improvement in afforestation. There are also the riparian and other 1 ha forestry programmes. The programme has been agreed in Government and has been budgeted for in the €1.3 billion fund provided. It is not a lack of financial resources.

As I understand it, the premiums are tax-free and the timber product at the end of the process is also tax free and can be passed on. It is a very attractive financial package. The difficulties have been in our licensing system and those have been resolved. There was a lack of confidence which was perhaps a legacy of the ash dieback issue. The Government has moved to resolve that by providing significant payments to those who have experienced ash dieback.

I expect the new forestry numbers to start climbing dramatically, as they must because, as the Deputy said, we need a tenfold increase.