Pippa Hackett (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Genuine concerns in relation to forestry have been raised in recent weeks, in particular, in relation to the Irish Strategic Forestry Fund. We had Private Members' business on Tuesday and we spent over three hours in committee last night talking about some of the issues that have arisen. I am aware it also has come up in Leaders' Questions. I am happy to have a chance to speak about the future direction of Irish forestry policy and, in particular, to urge farmers across the country to look at the new €1.3 billion forestry programme.

We have a massive challenge ahead to meet our climate action targets and forestry has a significant role to play in that. That is why we have designed this programme in order that the vast majority of that €1.3 billion will go to farmers to plant on their land and to draw down premia for the next 20 years.

I believe it is right that Coillte, as the State foresters, should play a role in our afforestation targets. There has been a lot of talk about Coillte and Gresham House and that Coillte has partnered with private investment, as it is fully entitled to do. As part of that, and Deputy McNamara raised the issue, I understand from Coillte that Gresham was appointed after an independent procurement process; something that a Minister should not interfere with.

As we have said, this partnership is only one of the options Coillte has come up with to enable afforestation. Our preferred model of delivering on our forestry targets is for farmers to plant on their own land.

I would like to call out the fearmongering and inaccurate nonsense from Deputy Nolan that we are selling 100,000 acres to private interests. We are not. Nor are we putting €2.1 billion of taxpayers' money into the fund. The Deputy certainly needs to check her facts.

Government policy is to increase our forest estate from 11.6% to 18% by 2050. This will require 450,000 ha of new forests by 2050 and the vast majority of this will come from our farmers.

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