Donie Cassidy (Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 145: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the progress in forestry planting in 2005. [34102/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Progress has been reasonably satisfactory this year to date and I expect planting levels to be about the same as last year, in the region of 10-11,000 hectares. Obviously I would have liked to have seen more planted but I accept that farmers have had to consider their options with the introduction of the new single payment regime, the nitrates situation and the revised REP scheme. I hope that as the new changed situation beds down, farmers will start to look in greater detail at the contribution that forestry can make to their long-term farm income.

I remind farmers that they can plant up to 50% of their land without affecting their single payment and draw down forestry premiums of up to €500 per hectare a year, for 20 years. I urge farmers to avail of this package now and remind them that if they are thinking about planting next year, they need to start planning properly now.