Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1138. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of plans to introduce reform of the forestry programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16755/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The current forestry programme was introduced in January 2015 and has recently been subject to a midterm review (MTR). The aim of this MTR was to compare targets against outturn, identify why targets were not achieved and propose measures to help address barriers to achieving these targets. The MTR process itself encompassed a public call for submissions and a series of consultation meetings with stakeholders and the European Commission. Draft proposals were then subject to a Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment screening exercise. My Department is currently in the process of implementing the changes introduced as part of this review.

In the recently launched National Development Plan 2018 -2027, the Government has stated that a publicly funded capital programme for afforestation will be supported beyond the lifetime of the current programme.