Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for giving me this opportunity to address the House and discuss the role of forestry in combating climate change as set out in the Climate Action Plan 2019. There is a range of actions in the plan related to forestry. These include measures to support afforestation and sustainable forest management. They also include measures to raise awareness and manage risk to current carbon stocks and timber mobilisation. The role of forests in combating the effects of climate change is well known. Irish forests are excellent sources of carbon sequestration. It is for this reason the State has invested almost €3 billion since 1990, which has funded the planting of more than 300,000 ha of forestry.

I will focus, however, on the Senator's specific query about increasing afforestation rates from their current levels to an average of 8,000 ha per year. As outlined in the plan, we aim to achieve this through engaging with a range of landowners, from farmers to State bodies. Specific measures will include generous grants and premiums for landowners to plant new forestry, the promotion of farm forestry, a new promotion and communication campaign, continued dialogue with stakeholders and engagement with Coillte and other State bodies, including Bord na Móna, to agree a planting programme. We will also explore ways in which farm forestry can be better aligned and integrated with the next Common Agricultural Policy, CAP.

One of the actions in the plan is to implement the forestry programme 2014-2020 in line with the mid-term review recommendations and targets set. The implementation of the forestry programme, which offers a wide range of options and generous grants and annual premiums for landowners, continues to be a priority. As matters stand, the current programme is averaging afforestation rates of 5,500 ha per annum or 75% of its overall target. This will clearly need to be improved to meet the goals of the climate action plan. Enhancements were made to the forestry programme in early 2018 as part of the mid-term review, including improved rates for planting new forests, particularly for broadleaves.The promotion of afforestation will play an important role in our efforts to achieve our target. We are committed to disseminating to as wide an audience as possible the message that forestry is good for the economy, the environment and the individual. We recently granted support of €830,000 to 15 innovative promotion projects that will run over the next two years. Those efforts will be complemented by Teagasc's promotional activities and information days, as well as the Department's communication strategy.

My officials and I have ongoing engagement with stakeholders to ensure that the challenges are addressed as they arise and that we avail of opportunities to promote afforestation. I have established a forestry implementation group and a forestry promotion group in order that we can work with relevant stakeholders on implementation and on ways to promote afforestation, respectively. The Department also engages with Coillte to agree on a model whereby Coillte may contribute to afforestation rates to support the Government in its climate change mitigation effort. The Senator referred to the establishment of Coillte Nature, which will convert and add native forests and woodlands to the area that Coillte manages. It should be noted that the Department approves well in excess of 8,000 ha of land every year for afforestation but the conversion rate to planting stubbornly remains at approximately 60%. This means that the forestry sector has at its disposal between 12,000 ha and 15,000 ha in approved and shovel ready trees that could be planted today. The challenge is to ensure that all the effort that goes into securing and approving new sites results in those sites being planted, if the targets are to be met.

An average of 8,000 ha per annum of newly planted forests represents a significant challenge but it can be met. We have a comprehensive climate action plan and I look forward to working with all stakeholders to fulfil forestry's contribution to the plan.