Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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225. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the continuous cover forestry schemes in operation; the number of participants in each such scheme; the total current and capital funding allocated to each such scheme in 2019; the grant and premium rates for each such scheme; and the criteria required to draw down a payment in each available scheme. [25789/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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My colleague, Minister of State Doyle, launched the pilot Continuous Cover Forestry Scheme (CCF) earlier this year, to run until the end of the Forestry Programme 2014 – 2020. This is a scheme that I very much welcome and which has been very well received. My Department planned to accept applications for 30 projects over the two years and I am glad to inform the Deputy that this target has recently been reached well ahead of time.

The scheme comprises of CCF Transformation Management Plan that will run for a period of twelve years with three instalments of €750 occurring at intervals throughout the 12-year period. The first instalment will be at year one with the final payment issuing within twelve years from the date of completion of works relating to the first intervention. The middle payment can be paid at any stage during the intervening period as described within the Transformation Management Plan. Conifer, broadleaf and broadleaf mixed forests are eligible. Details in relation to the criteria which apply to the payment application process are fully outlined in the CCF Scheme document, which is available on my Department's website at the following link:

www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/forestry/grantandpremiumschemes/2019/WISCCFVer6120319.pdf.

Funding for CCF is provided for in the total allocation for all forestry support schemes, which is €9.4m in 2019.