Dáil debates

Thursday, 8 December 2022

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions

Forestry Sector

11:40 am

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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149. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he hopes to mitigate carbon reduction requirements by way of enhanced sequestration, thereby ensuring the viability of the agrifood sector while at the same time meeting carbon-reduction targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61277/22]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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My question seeks to ascertain the extent to which tree-growing can contribute to sequestration, despite the concerns or expressions to the contrary to the effect that it is an important feature of the energy and forestry industries.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Senator Pippa Hackett):

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Forestry is the largest tool in our armour to achieve climate action and sequestration. We know it is essential. Our new forest strategy is all about planting the right trees in the right places, under the right management and for the right purpose. This applies across the board, regardless of whether the planting is for timber, the local economy, amenity value, biodiversity or water quality. With that in mind, we have come up with an innovative forestry programme to encourage farmers. Ultimately, we will be largely reliant on our farmers to plant the trees of the future. We have adjusted old programmes, put in place new measures and are considering more supports for practices such as agroforestry, which allows farmers to grow crops or have animals graze between planted trees. This will be a really attractive option for farmers here. The practice is fairly widespread in other countries but not so much here.

We have changed legislation to allow farmers to plant up to a hectare of native woodland on their farms without the need for a licence. Again, this is another mechanism by which we recognise the importance of tree-planting and some of the difficulties around licensing. It is an acknowledgment of the need that we absolutely have to increase our afforestation targets. We have been off target, as we all acknowledge and have known for several years, and it is really time to turn that around. I really hope the new forestry programme will help in that matter.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To what extent will the Minister of State continue to encourage the use of specific species of trees for certain purposes? There is quite a difference between some of the hardwood trees and some of the conifers. The much-maligned Sitka spruce has been consigned to the waste bin in most cases, wrongly in my opinion. It has a huge contribution to make, particularly in shelter. In forests, the outer ring should normally be of a sheltering variety that ensures the species on the inside enjoy the right growing conditions. It would be helpful if the Minister of State were more specific in advertising what is best in these kinds of environments so the farming community can consider tree-growing on ordinary farmland and headlands, and also in corners that are sometimes not suited to farming.

Such land could be used for tree-growing.

11:50 am

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Senator Pippa Hackett):

I take on board what the Deputy has said. We anticipate that foresters, with whom farmers must engage in order to avail of any of our programmes, would have a role as part of that. I would like to think that foresters would impart that advice to farmers.

Certainly, I appreciate the balance we need. Last week, Green Party Senators proposed a motion in the Seanad on the use of wood in construction. It emphasised the need to ramp this up if we are to try to decarbonise our construction sector. There are many wonderful examples from across Europe and the UK of aspects of this activity we do not engage with here. We will need soft woods, such as our fast-growing conifers, for these purposes. It would be nice to think that in years to come, instead of exporting maybe 70% of our timber products, we will use more of them here. I am absolutely cognisant of the need for soft wood and conifers.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I will make another suggestion. I am seeking to ascertain the degree to which this can be expanded. Certain tree varieties, such as apple trees and pear trees, can be used for three purposes: for decorative purposes at certain times of the year, for food purposes, and for wood purposes when their lifespan has dissipated. Has any evaluation been done of the utilisation of wasteland, headlands, corners of fields or otherwise inoperable situations from an agriculture point of view? How can such lands can be utilised beneficially?

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Senator Pippa Hackett):

I do not have the figures on that, but it is a good point. We are in the process of a land use review. Maybe part of that might identify some of these inaccessible corners. There are plenty of them. There is a good example from County Clare, where such an area is called the hare's corner. They have engaged with farmers. It can be about putting in a pond or planting trees in more inaccessible areas. This brings biodiversity onto the farm without taking much from productivity.

On the question of fruit trees, orchards are not classified as forestry and neither are Christmas trees. Those plantations do not get categorised like that. In our new agroforestry proposals, which are classified as forestry, farmers can plant up to 15% of fruit or nut trees. That is an exciting proposition. We can review it if we get a good uptake and if we get feedback from farmers on it. I think it is a step in the right direction.

Questions Nos. 150 to 158, inclusive, taken with Written Answers.