Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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1. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on his engagement with the forestry sector regarding concerns around the limitations the new forestry programme rules will have on afforestation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55423/23]

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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I wish to ask the Minister about his engagement with the forestry sector in respect of the new forestry programme. There are significant concerns regarding the restrictions and limitations in that programme which the sector believes will greatly limit the amount of ground that can actually be afforested in the first place.

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

I thank Deputy Kerrane for the question. The Forestry Programme 2023-2027 was approved by the Government on 6 September 2023 along with other non-programme actions under the forest strategy implementation plan. The new afforestation scheme also opened on this date. My Department is now in a position to grant afforestation licences and scheme approvals under this programme. The forestry programme operates pursuant to State aid approval. In accordance with Ireland's obligation to comply with both the latest EU state aid and environmental requirements, afforestation under the new programme will be avoided on environmentally unsuitable sites. This ensures that afforestation will be adapted to environmental sensitivities such as habitats and species, including Natura sites, freshwater pearl mussel and hen harrier, breeding curlew, open habitat birds, Annex I habitats, high-nature-value farmland, peat soils, hedgerows, water quality, including fisheries sensitive areas, water body status, acid-sensitive areas, archaeology, landscape and local sensitivities. While it is of the utmost importance to increase our afforestation rates substantially over the next decade, it is also crucial that this is completed in an environmentally sound and sustainable manner. It is my intention to work closely with the relevant stakeholders to realise this ambition.

Shortly after the adoption of the new forestry programme 2023-2027 my Department held in-person and online training sessions for registered foresters, ecologists and Coillte. This covered topics such as the changes to the requirements of the application process, peat survey techniques and habitat identification while also addressing queries from stakeholders. Further training will be provided as required over the duration of this programme. In addition, extensive engagement has taken place with other stakeholders. In October, I met directly with Forest Industries Ireland, FII, to discuss all aspects of the new forestry programme. In November, it was my pleasure to address the International Agroforestry Conference and highlight the revised agroforestry elements within the new programme. These include, for example, an increase in the premium period from five to ten years. To date, I have also spoken directly with various stakeholders including FII, the Social Economic Environmental Forestry Association, SEEFA, and the forestry nursery sector.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister of State. I welcome the fact that she has met with representatives form SEEFA. In the context of the extensive engagement she had, I presume those she met raised with her the concerns that exist regarding the significant area of land that is ineligible, particularly when it comes to peat soils. The latter removes a large chunk of the west of Ireland from consideration. We have obtained various maps from the Department to show where each of the restricted areas is located. I would like to see them all on one map. That is what is needed. In a reply to a recent parliamentary question, the Minister of State said that map will be published.

This year, we are again nowhere near the target of 8,000 ha. I welcome the funding for and the premiums relating to the forestry programme. If the land cannot be planted, then the money will not be much use. I am concerned that farmers and landowners in the areas to which I refer will have to go to huge expense to get studies done in order to ascertain whether their lands are eligible. That is a concern.

Senator Pippa Hackett:

The Deputy will be aware that in the past we made mistakes in the context of where we planted. Unfortunately, we have planted trees in the wrong places. This has impacted on the environment, whether that be habitats, species or water quality. The Commission was strong on this matter and stated that we cannot in any way repeat any of those mistakes.

As the Deputy said, there are challenges in respect of environmental requirements and restrictions. That said, there is still a vast amount of land that is suitable for planting trees. Farmers have a vast array of options available to them. Some of the afforestation schemes are more invasive than others in terms of their impact on the environment. Others are less so. I refer, for example, to agroforestry, in which farmers are interested and which can be incorporated into farms. These are the elements we take into account. As already stated, we are committed to increasing our afforestation rate but it is essential that this is done in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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In regard to the maps and restrictions, the Minister of State previously indicated that a full map of Ireland showing the restrictions layered on it will be published. We need to see that map. The response to a parliamentary question I tabled on the matter indicated that it will be published. I do not see how that map can show the vast areas of land that include peat soils. Did the restriction relating to peat soils originate here or was it insisted on by the European Commission? We need to know. This is going to lead to significant costs for farmers. If they have to spend money on studies, it will put them off engaging with the programme in the first place. One forestry company has said it had to walk away from six in ten farms due to these restrictions. This is much more concerning than people may be led to believe. We need to see the map.

We also need to see the licensing plan. Is it possible to get an update on that? We were told on 28 November that it was due within the following week. We still have not seen it. The remainder of this year is not much use now, but can we have it for next year? Where is that plan?

Senator Pippa Hackett:

The map that we provide is indicative. Every site has to be walked by a forestry inspector and maybe be the subject of a subsequent examination by an ecologist, hydrologist, specialist, scientist or ornithologist. These maps are indicative, and every site needs to be walked. Taking the map and ruling something in or out straight away might not necessarily be correct. As the Deputy knows, the licensing system is robust. It is onerous but it is better than it was. It is working much more effectively. However, those sites still need to be walked. That is what happens.

Peat depth was the subject of a strong ask from the Commission. The original ask was a 10 cm requirement, which rules out almost all of the land in Ireland. We reached an agreement to increase that to 30 cm. Previously, it was 50 cm. It is a change but the change is necessary for a number of reasons, particularly in terms of carbon emissions from soils that are greater than 30 cm in depth.