Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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17. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he intends to develop agro-forestry as part of an expansion of sustainable afforestation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25916/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The draft Forestry Programme for 2014-2020 does include a measure for agro forestry. Agro-forestry under EU rules means land use systems in which trees are grown in combination with agriculture on the same land. The measure will be targeted at silvopastoral agro-forestry systems which combine forestry and pasture. Key objectives of the scheme will be to:

- produce high quality hardwood timber where appropriate (including oak, sycamore and cherry);

- encourage continuous cover forestry and close-to-nature silvicultural techniques; and

- enhance the quality and diversity of landscapes.

As this is the first occasion agro forestry will be funded under the afforestation scheme, support for this type of forestry will be launched on a small-scale pilot basis; the target area to be planted will therefore be relatively small compared to the other afforestation categories.

In accordance with EU State Aid rules only 80% of eligible costs can be funded; premiums will be available and will be paid for five years and will cover the cost of maintenance only. Once land is converted to agro-forestry it will be classified as forest land and the provisions of forest legislation will apply. Support for the establishment of demonstration plots for research purposes may also be considered under this measure.

Further details regarding this scheme are due to be submitted for public consultation in July 2014.