Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yes. It is clear that this Government would like to plant more trees. We would have to pay for that. My Department spends approximately €110 million per annum on afforestation and forestry premiums. That expenditure is not co-financed from Europe or anywhere else. That significant commitment has not decreased as reductions have had to be imposed on the rest of the budget. My expenditure ceilings have decreased significantly. If and when we can afford to spend more on afforestation, we will do so. The programme for Government contains an ambition to increase afforestation to 14,000 ha per annum. This country is way behind most other European countries in terms of forest cover. While we have made a commitment in this regard, the only money we can spend is the money I am allowed to spend under the expenditure ceilings within which I have to operate. We need to deal with the real world as with the facts as they are.

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