Written answers

Tuesday, 17 September 2019

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Forestry Sector

Photo of Jackie CahillJackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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474. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to allow the planting of agroforestry in areas designated as acid sensitive lands; and the size of additional lands which will be eligible in 2019 (details supplied) on designated acid sensitive areas on which planting will be permitted by county in hectares. [37004/19]

Photo of Michael CreedMichael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Support for agroforestry is covered under the Forestry Programme 2014-2020.  This programme was subject to a mid-term review which introduced significant increases in both grants and premiums for agro-forestry.  The recent agreement with the EPA to allow agroforestry on acid sensitive sites provides a new opportunity for forestry on this type of land where otherwise planting may not have been approved or may have been subject to certain tests.

There are approximately 150,000 hectares of land in Ireland designated as acid sensitive and this new announcement provides a new avenue for afforestation for those landowners. 

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