Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

465. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of hectares planted annually with Sitka spruce in each of the years 2007 to 2017, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39398/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department’s afforestation scheme offers landowners twelve different planting options and the most popular is made up of Sitka spruce planted with a second species. Sitka spruce grows well in Ireland because it is suited to our soils and climate. It has been grown successfully for over 80 years and it has proven itself to be one of the most productive coniferous species grown in Ireland and as such has become the industry’s mainstay in terms of timber processing and end markets. As one of our fastest growing tree species, Sitka spruce has an important role to play in carbon sequestration. A typical productive plantation of Sitka spruce will result in removals of 10 tonnes of CO2e per annum per hectare on average over a full rotation.

The table below shows the area planted under Sitka spruce from 2007 – 2017, by County.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

466. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of hectares planted annually with deciduous trees in each of the years 2007 to 2017, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39399/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The midterm review of the Forestry Programme 2014 – 2020, completed in February this year, provided my Department with an opportunity to take stock of the existing planting strategy. The review found that some targets were not being met including the 30% planting target for native broadleaves.

Following an extensive consultation process with stakeholders, my Department implemented a series of actions to promote native broadleaves. The grants and premiums for broadleaves were increased by 7 % and 5% respectively and the minimum mandatory percentage of broadleaves in any individual afforestation project was increased from 10% to 15%. Last week Minister Doyle also launched the Woodland Environmental Fund (WEF) which is a Corporate Social Responsibility project, aimed at corporate entities, to promote and encourage the planting of broadleaves.

The increases in premiums and grants, the increase in the minimum mandatory percentage of broadleaves in all afforestation projects, the promotion of Agro-forestry and Forestry for Fibre and the launch of the WEF is expected to lead to an increase in the planting of native broadleaves.

The number of hectares planted with broadleaves in each of the years 2007 to 2017, is given in the table below and is available on my Department's website: