Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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625. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the number of farmers that afforested a part of their farm declined by 88% during the duration of GLAS, commencing in 2015 up to and including 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32999/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The table below indicates the number of farmer/non-farmer applicants that chose to establish forestry in the years 2015 to 2020.  The table shows the overall number of newly established forestry sites has been in decline recently. 

There could be many reasons for this as farmers have many options open to them to manage their land, including the lease or sale of lands.  Non-farmer applicants may also be a relative of a deceased farmer, who have chosen to plant inherited land instead of continuing to farm.

In terms of GLAS, applicants had the option of choosing parcels for GLAS and also the opportunityto join the Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme on other parcels.  The GLAS terms and conditions outline that afforestation is fully compatible with GLAS and is recognised as contributing to the creation of a valuable landscape mosaic at farm-level. The Scheme also had the “Planting a Grove of Native Trees” action which has been chosen by over 3,600 farmers and resulted in the planting of over 1.5 million trees.

I am anxious that farmers re-engage with forestry and acknowledge that current licensing difficulties are likely a contributory factor in terms of reduced interest.  This is a priority issue for me and my Department and is being dealt under Project Woodland.  Furthermore the Department is working to ensure that there is integration between Agri-Environment schemes in CAP and the new Forestry Programme.  It is intended that tree planting measures will form part of the new Agri-Environment schemes.  The transitional REAP scheme (a results-based payment approach for grasslands) has, for instance, complementary tree-planting actions.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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626. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the serious decline in the number of farmers that afforested a part of their farm during the duration of GLAS has been included in any SWOT analysis and needs assessment completed by his Department as part of the CAP Strategic Plan in particular the eco-scheme and agri-environment measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33000/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The draft CAP Strategic Plan regulation, currently under negotiation, requires that an analysis of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT analysis) and a Needs Assessment forms part of the CAP Strategic Plan prepared by each Member State.

A SWOT analysis was accordingly undertaken as part of the development of Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027, in which the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats in the Irish agricultural sector are identified. A Needs Assessment has also been compiled which identifies and prioritises the high-level needs of the agricultural sector, based on the SWOT analysis, as well as feedback from stakeholders and the European Commission. Interventions are currently being designed based on the needs identified.

While the lower level of new forestry planting over recent years was noted in the SWOT analysis as a weakness, the SWOT analysis identifies opportunities to increase relatively low level of forest cover, including native and/or broadleaf species. It cites the allocation of funding by the Government for the Forestry Programme and identification of forestry as an extremely effective climate change mitigation tool; one that has the potential to deliver very high climate related benefits, and its consequential inclusion in AgClimatise.

The Needs Assessment identifies two needs in relation to forestry, namely, to increase the carbon sequestration potential of Ireland’s forests and woodlands and to maximise the contribution of forestry including the planting of native trees in appropriate locations, safeguarding existing biodiverse habitats.  Eco-scheme and agri-environment scheme(s) have been identified as interventions for consideration to address these needs.

GLAS is implemented under the provisions of EU Regulation (EU) no 1305/2013. Section 12 of the GLAS terms and conditions outline that afforestation is fully compatible with GLAS and is recognised as contributing to the creation of a valuable landscape mosaic at farm-level. It is also important to note that GLAS is not a whole-of-farm scheme and that afforestation opportunities continue to exist for GLAS participants on parcels that do not contain GLAS actions.   

Priority now must be the implementation of meaningful tree-planting measures as part of our future agri-environment measures and better integration of the next CAP and the next National Forestry Programme.