Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Deputy's point about the premature felling. It is probably not 20 years but 25 years. Teagasc and the Department have jointly rolled out several initiatives. There are Talking Timber events to make people aware of them and the forestry felling tool on the Department's website which indicates the volume increase which equates to value increase if the farmer leaves the plantation alone or thins it at year 25 and leaves it to year 35. This optimises the climate change mitigation capacity and the investment by the State in the afforestation programme. There is an acute awareness of the need to do that. Farmers have tended not to be experts on forestry and that is why we are trying to make them aware. Teagasc is rolling out a series of clinics over the autumn. A total of 40,000 people connect with Teagasc on training programmes. That is part of its continuing awareness campaign.

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