Results 121-140 of 753 for speaker:Pippa Hackett

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: Regarding the pest-free status, there is only one area in the whole world that we are entitled to import barked logs from. If it is coming from anywhere else, it has to be de-barked or sawn into boards and so on. I do not know if there is anything else that Mr. Delany has to add from his pest days.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: I can only speak from some examples and if there is a Pro Silva walk anywhere in the Deputy's jurisdiction, which are all about promoting the benefits of continuous cover, I encourage him to go on one and he will meet some very happy foresters.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: As the Deputy will be aware, a scheme is currently in place but I have been aware of dissatisfaction with the current scheme, which is why I commissioned the independent report which was published just yesterday. I do not know if the Deputy has had a chance to read it yet. It is an independent report into how the Department dealt with the ash dieback issue. It has a number of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: I cannot give that timeframe yet but I have encouraged farmers to apply for the current scheme because they will not be disadvantaged by any new scheme that we may come up with. It is important that they get those diseased and dying ash trees cleared as soon as possible. They need to apply to the current ash dieback scheme to get that ball rolling, so that is important.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: I cannot say what compensation package will be available. It is quite clear under the state aid rules that we cannot compensate for loss. We have been able to support for clearance and replanting. We will examine the state aid rules further to see if there are any other mechanisms by which we can support farmers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: We know we cannot compensate for any loss of timber or future loss. What we have been able to do so far is support farmers to clear what is there and replant. We have been supporting farmers to do that through two different schemes over the last ten years.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: Currently, we do not think we can do that under the state aid rules but we will explore whether there are any other mechanisms by which we can assist farmers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: Hopefully not too long. My intent is to bring forward the implementation plan outlining how we are going to address all the recommendations. I would like to think that would be in the next couple of weeks.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: I agree and accept that there are challenges with land availability. There are all sorts of pressures from different sectors. At the end of the day, the vast majority of land in Ireland is owned by farmers and it is about their choice about what they want to do with their land, whether they want to rent it to someone, plant it, keep cattle or sheep, have tillage or whatever. There is a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: Unfortunately, no. That rule is now gone so we do not allow planting on unenclosed land. It is just too damaging from an environmental perspective due to carbon loss and a number of other issues, so that, unfortunately, it is not available. It still needs quite a bit of land that is suitable for forestry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: Yes, I think they can.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: It depends on the licence, but a felling licence can last for up to ten years, so they could feasibly apply ten years in advance and seek an extension. There is that option. I do not think there has ever been a case where we have not issued a felling licence. They have all been issued at some stage. I appreciate that there were delays but the vast majority of those delays have been addressed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: There are restriction in terms of the depth of peat. Anything deeper than 30 cm can no longer be planted but we can plant land under 30 cm depth of peat. There are other restrictions around special protection areas, SPAs, curlew nests, and the freshwater pearl mussel.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: Yes, land that is already planted can be replanted. The restrictions relate to new afforestation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: They can be planted in the correct land. As we said, if it is over 30 cm of peat, they would not be allowed but there is a-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: I am not familiar with where Lyme disease comes from or where the insect that spreads it resides.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: I agree. It is a huge threat that is of concern. At the moment we are satisfied with the biosecurity arrangements and the pest-free zone that exists. It is something that we must keep under watch. I am not too sure how such a ban could be introduced.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: I agree. We closely engage with the Scottish authorities. We have also engaged with the Commission.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: I know. It is a third country and as a European Union member state we have a relationship with third countries.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)

Pippa Hackett: I think I have them all now. Regarding ash dieback, there are state aid constraints. There seems to be a bit of a challenge because we have different state aid rules for different sectors. Livestock state aid rules for supports and compensation are different from the ones for crops and forestry. We will absolutely fully explore what is possible within those forestry state aid rules and we...