Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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898. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated cost of planting 125,000 hectares of foresting with a mixture of broad leaf and native species. [25516/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme offers a fixed grant towards the costs, subject to the maximum laid down in the Scheme’s terms and conditions. In addition, annual premiums are payable on new forests that qualify for an afforestation grant for a maximum period of 15 years.

The Scheme offers 12 different grant and premiums categories (GPC) based on different species options. Grants are payable in two instalments; on initial afforestation along with the first year’s premium and the remaining instalment four years later. It is worth noting that all GPCSs have a mandatory 15% broadleaf element.

In calculating the costs the Deputy has requested, the percentage of forestry planted in each of the broadleaf and native species GPCs in 2019 was applied to planting 125,000ha. Therefore, the total grant payable would be €723.04m; the total first premium would be €80.09m. The additional premiums payable annually for up to 15 years would cost €1,113.57m. The total outlay for 125,000ha of new afforestation would be €1,916.71m.