Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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478. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of broadleaf forestry planting as a percentage of total planting in 2018. [2372/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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A specific condition of State Aid approval for the Forestry Programme 2014 -2020 is to aim for annual planting of 30% broadleaves. Following the Mid-term Review of the Forestry Programme I introduced increased grant and premium rates for native woodlands, agro-forestry and forestry for fibre Grant and Premium Categories in early 2018 aiming at increasing the annual broadleaf planting rates. I am pleased to note that the increased rates in the broadleaf categories have already provided results, with broadleaves comprising 27% of trees planted in 2018, compared to 21% in 2017. It is our full intention to drive this figure higher in 2019 based on the increased grants and premia offered above.