Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

280. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the expenditure on the NeighbourWood scheme for new projects in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019. [52195/19]

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

The NeighbourWood Scheme, which is operated by my Department under the Forestry Programme 2014 – 2020 is an innovative package aimed at developing amenity woodlands for local access and enjoyment, to deliver directly to local communities many of the important social benefits associated with our woodlands and forests. The Scheme brings communities and woodlands together, by helping local authorities and other landowners, both public and private, to create ‘close-to-home’ woodland amenities in partnership with communities, for local people to use and enjoy.

Funding is available under three separate elements:

- NeighbourWood (NBR) Establishment funds the establishment of new neighbourwood

- on open ‘greenfield’ sites.

- NBR Enhancement funds the silvicultural enhancement of existing woodland already

- used as neighbourwood, or proposed for development as neighbourwood.

- NBR Facilities funds the installation and upgrade of appropriate recreational facilities within an area submitted under NBR Establishment or NBR Enhancement, or within an existing woodland suitable for recreation but not submitted under NBR Enhancement.

The expenditure on the NeighbourWood Scheme from 2016 to 2018 is shown below. There has been no expenditure to date in 2019, although my Department has received five applications for the Scheme this year, three of which have been approved and the remaining two are currently being processed.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

281. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1137 of 8 May 2019, the allocation to forestry support schemes, forest road works, the reconstitution scheme, the neighbourwood and native woodland conservation and woodland improvement scheme in each of the years 2010 to 2018 and to date in 2019, in tabular form; and the amount expended in each year. [52200/19]

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

The current Forestry Programme provides a range of support schemes, that are voluntary and demand-led. Financial support for the 2014-2020 Forestry Programme is 100% Exchequer-funded under EU State Aid rules.

These schemes include, inter alia, the Woodland Improvement Scheme (WIS), the NeighbourWood Scheme (NBR) along with supports for forest roads, Reconstitution of Woodlands (Recon) and Native Woodland Conservation (NWC), along with other expenditure items.

The overall allocation for forestry support schemes and the expenditure under each of the schemes in the years requested is given in the table below.

* to end November 2019