Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

When the news of the plan by Coillte to sell off huge expanses of land in rural Ireland first emerged people thought it was a rumour. When stories circulated that land was to be bought by a British investment company and fund they were convinced it was a practical joke. Unfortunately, it was neither a rumour nor a joke. In fact it would appear that a deal was done before the majority of those impacted had an opportunity to ask questions or raise objections. The low-key manner in which all of this took place gives serious cause for concern. Aside from being a shock to the farming community it has caused ripples of lost confidence in the belief that Government is putting Irish farmers’ best interests front and centre. These ripples are not unfounded. The irony of this plan by Coillte to enable Ireland to meet its climate target is not lost on the farming community. When one looks a little deeper questions arise as to why we are now worried about meeting our targets and how did this situation arise. The finger can in fact be waved in the direction of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Coillte last year was issued with 110% of the felling licence allocation with only 68% of the private sector afforestation target reached. This failure to grant adequate licences to farmers has been ongoing since 2016. A worrying 416 private afforestation applications remain unprocessed despite desperation and pleas to the Department from applicants. This has massively impacted on farmers’ ability to remain in forestry.

The Department has failed to ban imports which has allowed ash dieback to take hold in this country. Farmers have found themselves with dead plantations as a result, effectively pushing them out of forestation. The administration of the ash dieback reconstitution scheme is ponderous and slow. This scheme is of critical importance to many forestry holders throughout County Tipperary and throughout the country. It is totally unsatisfactory that of the applicants who applied in 2022, 587 have yet to be processed and approved.

The decisions by the Department on land designation which have been deemed to have been without any scientific justification have resulted in farmers being told that their land is unsuitable for forestry. How many land owners contribute to meeting climate targets? How can they contribute if their efforts are blocked? In order to deliver on our climate obligations Coillte had to do something. It brought the Gresham House asset managers on board. As a result the Irish Strategic Forestry fund came into being with the aim of seeking investors. We are told that Coillte will be the land purchasing, planting and forestry management body. However, the new fund will own the land and be entitled to any grants and premiums.

Where does the blame rest? Had the Department issued licences and addressed the problems with imports, would Coillte have needed the support of an investment fund? This is the key reason farmers and their prominent and influential representatives bodies do not agree with this approach. They are also concerned that land prices will soar. In fact prices are already on the rise. The shared aim of farmers with the support of Government should be to address climate change. Government has completely let farmers down in this regard. It has also forced Coillte, an independent body, to take action. The investment company is not trying to make a job of meeting climate targets easier for Ireland. Its objective is to capitalise on the fact that we have failed to do this for ourselves. Its end-game is not climate action but its bank balance. It has no allegiance to Irish issues.

The arrangement put forward is a sell-out of a national resource. It is not acceptable. It does not have the support of industry partners nor of the majority in this House. It does not have the support of the public and overall it is a bum deal for the Irish people. It has not been thought through and will have lasting consequences. It must be reviewed.

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