Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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39. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will establish a dedicated unit focused on ensuring that all farms make greater use of native forestry as a climate change mitigation measure, to assist Ireland in meeting European Union emission reduction targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41392/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Earlier this year my Department launched a €482 million package for the development of the forestry sector in Ireland. Under this programme for forestry, significant measures were included aimed specifically at encouraging farmers to plant native trees. These measures are the Native Woodland Establishment scheme and the Native Woodland Conservation Scheme. The first of these schemes provides financial assistance which covers 100% of the costs of establishing new native forests. An annual premium payment of €635 per hectare is also available each year for 15 years; this rate is the highest rate available of all afforestation planting categories. In order to ensure a higher level of planting of native trees on farms all afforestation must include native woodlands alongside aquatic buffer zones in water sensitive sites such as aquatic Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and sensitive fisheries areas when establishing new forests. This will provide a filtration buffer zone slowing down runoff from upland areas and helping to prevent sediment reaching rivers and streams.

Promotion of native woodlands on farms is also included in the Native Woodland Conservation Scheme which aims to support the appropriate restoration of existing native woodlands and (where appropriate) the conversion of existing non-native forest to native woodland.

In addition to these two native woodland schemes the Department also supports the improvement and management of native woodland seed stands including sessile oak and pedunculate oak seed stands within ancient woodlands. The aim is to increase the supply of home produced seed from native species which can then be used in nurseries to grow native trees for new planting and reforestation including planting as part of the Native Woodland Establishment measure.

While economic growth and activity is an important justification for the Departments €482 million forestry programme it is vital that this is done in a sustainable and balanced way. The careful and well structured approach to native woodlands as I have described is a clear signal of my Department’s intent to continue its development of the forestry sector in a manner which maximises the environmental benefits of forestry including climate change mitigation. The Forest Service of my Department is responsible for delivering this strategy and is best placed to continue this role under its current structure. Consequently my Department has no plans to establish a dedicated unit as described by the Deputy.