Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1197. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any private land owners have been approved afforestation licences on the same land type now being proposed by his Department as suitable for afforestation on decommissioned Bord na Móna bogs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31228/21]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1198. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will be funding the environmental reports for the pilot scheme on industrial bog lands involving Bord na Móna and Coillte; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31229/21]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1199. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department is experimenting on Bord na Móna decommissioned industrial bog lands to achieve afforestation targets instead of processing licence applications that are submitted to his Department by private land owners who are waiting inordinate lengths of time to obtain a licence to plant their land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31230/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1197, 1198 and 1199 together.

Bord na Móna formally ended all peat harvesting on its lands by the end of 2019. As a result of this cessation in peat harvesting, industrial cutover peatlands are becoming increasingly available for other land use options, including opportunities for the restoration of native woodland habitats.

This availability of land occurs at a point in time where there is a greater demand than ever for new woodlands, to counteract existing biodiversity and climate challenges. Native woodlands are an important part of Ireland’s natural heritage, history and culture, and are unique in terms of their biodiversity. They are home to specialised native woodland animals, birds, insects and plants. They provide numerous ecosystem services, including the protection and enhancement of water quality, wider habitat linkage, landscape enhancement, opportunities for outdoor recreation and interpretation, wider rural development linkages, and carbon capture.

Further to a request for support for exploration of possibilities for native woodland creation on former industrial cutaway peatlands by Bord na Móna, the Department has developed a Pilot Scheme that is intended to facilitate the establishment of new native woodlands on state owned former industrial cutover peatlands on a pilot basis. This Pilot Scheme will facilitate native woodland regeneration at landscape scale, aiming at minimum intervention, and is compatible with other forms of peatland restoration measures at this scale.

The overall purpose of the Pilot Scheme is to support biodiversity, help reduce carbon emissions and stabilise soils to minimise soil erosion. These objectives are therefore different to the objectives of the current Afforestation Scheme. The Pilot Scheme aims at mimicking natural vegetation establishment processes in high, dry areas and on slopes that are not suitable for re-wetting.

Bord na Móna intends to complement their rehabilitation plans for end-of-life cutaway bogs by creating a mosaic of wetlands and sparse woodlands that enhances biodiversity value, stabilises the loose peatland soil and reduces carbon losses. No project like this has been undertaken before and the Pilot therefore includes the establishment of trials to explore the most effective silvicultural techniques.

The Pilot Scheme was developed in accordance with provisions of the Forestry Act 2014 and is compliant with national and EU legislation, operational and environmental guidelines.

Following the specific purpose of this Pilot Scheme, the Scheme is confined to State bodies who own former industrial cutaway peatlands.

Grant funding for native woodlands created under this Pilot Scheme is subject to the applicant obtaining a licence for afforestation from the Minister. An Environmental Impact Assessment is to be carried out as part of the licensing process and is at the applicant's own expense. No licence under the Pilot Scheme has been approved to date.

Grants paid under this Pilot Scheme are not following the GPC system which is applied to projects funded under the Department’s Afforestation Scheme, but are on the basis of vouched expenditure and up to a maximum rate per hectare of native woodland established. To be eligible for grant aid, each plot within a plantation must conform to as specifically defined Industrial Cutaway Woodland (ICW) category. I continue to work closely with Minister of State Pippa Hackett who has responsibility for both the horticulture and forestry sectors.

In terms of the processing of licence applications for private landowners to plant land, the Department is focusing all efforts on addressing the current backlog in licences . We have committed to issuing a total of 4,500 licences this year, which is a 75% increase on the number issued last year which I accept was a low year, and I am hopeful that we will deliver on this promise.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1200. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he advised his Department to focus on Coillte felling licences for 2021 which prioritised them over the ten private licences applications awaiting a decision from his Department since 2016 or the 28 applications awaiting a decision since 2017 or the 237 private licence applications awaiting decision from his Department since 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31231/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Every application for a forestry licence is assessed on its own merits and in combination with other plans or projects in the area. Decisions on Coillte applications are subject to the same assessment, public consultation and appeals process as decisions on private sector applications.

In 2020, the issuing of tree felling licences was relatively balanced with 52% of felling licences issuing to Coillte and 48% to private applicants (in volume terms). To date this year, the breakdown is 56% to Coillte and 44% to the private sector. In recent weeks, the number of private felling licences issued has increased with the largest number this year issued last week at 39 licences. I expect this output to continue.

The Department has set a target of 4,500 forestry licences to issue this year which is a 75% increase on last year, which I accept was a low year, and is committed to meeting this target. Every licence whether private or Coillte is valuable as they all support jobs in rural Ireland and our aim is to issue as many as possible to all applicants in 2021.