Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this Topical Issue and the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, for being present in the absence of the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, who is responsible for forestry in the Department of agriculture.

I raise an issue that is causing significant concern among nearly 300 residents in a small community in Mayo, namely, Craggagh, situated between Kiltimagh and Balla. The community is fearful and apprehensive about the potential overforestation of the area by commercial plantations, considering more than half of the townland of Craggagh in Balla has already been planted. I lend my voice, as their local representative, to their concerns about the ability of a small community like Craggagh to accommodate large forestry plantations, especially in light of the news that a French company intends to plant a new 15 ha Sitka spruce forest.

I emphasise the urgent need for consultation between the Department and the local community of Craggagh. It is crucial that a compromise be reached that respects the needs and concerns of the residents and those of the large investment fund. The community is deeply concerned about the new forestry plan. The prospect is that their homes, the local primary school and the local community centre will be surrounded by Sitka spruce woodland, especially when the area already hosts many similar plantations. It has been met with significant opposition and nearly 300 people have already signed a petition objecting to this forestry proposal. The residents feel excluded from the decision-making process as the Department, rather than the council, holds full authority over this type of forestry. This is causing considerable unease in the local community, particularly given the strict planning rules in place for locals wishing to build residential accommodation.

There is a concern around the displacement of the rural population. The physical and psychological impact of this planting has been brought to my attention. I had the opportunity to visit and meet locals at the site last week and they raised the issue of social interaction being necessary to sustain rural populations. For them, it would be impossible due to the impact of this forestry plantation in such close proximity. Local people also feel the forestry has built up over a number of years. The group is concerned about the impact on wildlife and the ecosystem in the area, which contains some of the most important ecosystems in the EU.

I urge the Minister of State to outline these concerns to the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, and her officials. It is imperative the voice of the Craggagh community is heard and their concerns addressed in a meaningful and respectful manner. The resources of Mayo should not be exploited by a foreign-based company and local residents deserve better than having their homes surrounded by 30 ft or 40 ft trees. A balance needs to be struck that respects both the needs of the community and our environmental commitments.

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for this topical question, which I will take on behalf of the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, who has responsibility for forestry. I appreciate this opportunity to also give an overview of the forestry licensing process.

While I am not in a position to comment on individual applications for which the licensing process is ongoing, my understanding is that the licence in question was submitted in autumn last year. The application has been published on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s website, and is currently going through the assessment process.

Landowners must obtain a licence from the Department before planting a forest. This is to ensure that all forestry activity respects and protects the environment and that the right tree is planted in the right place. All forestry licence applications are assessed to establish whether they would have an impact on a European site designated under the birds and habitats directive. The Department will only approve a forestry application where it deems that there will be no adverse effect on the integrity of any such site. In addition, the views of prescribed bodies are sought when making licensing decisions, including, where appropriate, the relevant county council and An Taisce. Once a licence application is advertised on the Department’s website, all interested parties have 30 days to make a submission and these submissions are examined as part of the decision-making process. When a decision is made on a licence application, it is published on the Department's forestry licence viewer, which is an interactive portal for viewing all documents associated with licence applications. A licence may be appealed by either the applicant or an interested third party to the Forestry Appeals Committee.

Forestry is regulated to protect and enhance the multiple benefits trees bring to our environment, biodiversity and economy, and to ensure the sustainability of our forests. The licensing system ensures our forests conform with national and international agreements and comply with best forest practice. It is important to see all afforestation licence applications in the national context. The climate action plan has a target of 8,000 ha for afforestation.

The focus for this Government and for the forestry sector more widely is to increase afforestation rates and manage existing forests in order to ensure the targets outlined in the climate action plan are achieved. We have a budget of €1.3 billion behind the new forestry programme, and this funding commitment is a strong message of support from the Government for all types of tree planting. The new afforestation scheme for the 2023-27 period offers landowners a choice of 12 forest types which cover a broad range of planting options. It provides generous incentives to farmers, in particular, to re-engage with forestry. One of the requirements of the new forestry programme is that any productive forest planted now requires that 20% of the trees are broadleaf species. This will ensure that all new forests created are diverse and deliver lasting multiple benefits not just for climate change but also for biodiversity, wood production, economic development and quality of life.

The Government takes very seriously the need to make sure that all trees planted contribute to the shared national vision for trees and forests, while delivering public good for the benefit of all. I assure the Deputy that there is robust and comprehensive assessment. A public consultation process in place to ensure that all relevant information is taken into account before permission to plant a forest is granted.

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Go raibh maith agat for that comprehensive response. While I welcome the new terms of Ireland's €1.3 billion forestry programme and strategy, for me, the Government must be aware that there can be an excess of a good thing in our rural areas. As already stated, we must balance both the concerns and needs of a community against our environmental commitments. Creating new forests in Ireland is crucial in the context of our commitment to achieve our climate action targets. Our afforestation targets certainly need to increase from 11.6% to 18%. We need to ensure that forests are evenly distributed across the country in order to prevent blanket forestry. In this instance, we need to consider that there is already a solid block of more than 200 ha of forestry here in a small area. My concern is that this is not being factored in. The Government needs to ensure that this is within the recommended national average. We do not want a blanket of trees over the west and north west. It is really important that we acknowledge that some lands may be more suitable for forest than others, but we need to ensure that there is equitable and even distribution across the country.

I again ask that the concerns of the residents of Craggagh be brought back to the Department. We should be encouraging farmers because they are at the centre of the Government's new strategy in terms of their commitment to plant trees. It should not be just left to foreign pension investment funds that are buying up large swathes of land to make a quick buck at the behest of the local community. The concerns of the people of Craggagh are extremely important. I look forward to further engagement with the Minister of State, Deputy Hackett, and her officials in the weeks ahead.

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I reiterate that the Government takes very seriously the need to make sure that all trees planted are contributing to the shared national vision for trees and forests, while delivering public good for the benefit of all people across the country. I wish to assure the Deputy that there is a robust and comprehensive assessment and public consultation process in place to ensure that all relevant information is taken into account before permission to plant a forest is granted.

I fully agree with Deputy Dillon on the need to encourage farmers to enter this process. Believe it or not, the part of south Dublin in which was the location of one of the first afforestation programmes undertaken by the Irish Free State. For the last century, what was done in the area has benefited the community massively in terms of tourism, farming, wood production and the sheer beauty of the land. However, forests have to be planted, developed and maintained in consultation with local communities; it does not matter whether they are being planted in Ticknock or Craggagh.

I will absolutely take the concerns of Deputy Dillon to the Minister of State, Deputy Hackett. No doubt he can speak to her directly in due course. She will be more than amenable to meeting him or a deputation from Craggagh to discuss this further, where appropriate.