Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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650. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of funding available under the neighbourwood scheme in each of the years 2017 to 2019 and to date in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7310/20]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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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 many of the important social benefits associated with our woodlands and forests directly to local communities. 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 date in 2020 to date is shown in the following table. There was no expenditure in 2019, although my Department received five applications for the Scheme, all of which were approved. So far in 2020, four applications have been received and they are currently being processed.