Written answers

Wednesday, 25 May 2005

Department of Agriculture and Food

Afforestation Programme

9:00 pm

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 161: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her Department's plans to achieve the national forestry planting target of 20,000 hectares per annum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17583/05]

Photo of Mary CoughlanMary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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A planting target of 20,000 hectares per annum was established in the 1996 strategy document, Growing for the Future. The review of that strategy, produced by Peter Bacon and Associates and published in September 2004, reaffirmed the need for an approved planting target of 20,000 hectares per annum but commented that a lesser planting target could be a viable basis for support, providing the planting were undertaken in a manner that maximised the non-timber benefits.

I believe that the current availability of grant aid at 100% for planting and the annual premia, particularly the concession obtained regarding the stacking entitlements vis-À-vis the single payment scheme, make forestry a very attractive land use option for farmers. For 2005, I have made sufficient funds available to support an increased planting programme of some 15,000 hectares, which is the maximum the sector could deliver at present. However, that is a demand driven scheme and the level of planting ultimately achieved this year will depend entirely on take-up from the sector, in particular from farmers.

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