Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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55. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has reviewed the proposals on the integration of forestry, tree planting, woodland creation, afforestation and woodland management into the CAP Strategic Plan as supplied by Forest Industries Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51248/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to thank Forest Industries Ireland and all stakeholders for the submission of proposals on the further integration of tree and forest planting initiatives in the CAP Strategic Plan. These proposals are currently under review by my officials who are in the process of finalising the first draft interventions that will form part of the CAP Strategic Plan.

A consultation on the draft interventions of the CAP Strategic Plan which was conducted in August and September this year has been met with a lot of interest and my Department has received many submissions in response which are currently being examined.

This consultation has taken place in addition to the discussions with the CAP Consultative Committee that have been ongoing over the last two years and more recent bi-lateral meetings with stakeholder organisations, such as Forestry Industries Ireland. There were two such bilateral meetings in recent weeks between my Department and FII and we also presented to the COFORD Council. 

All submissions received during the overall consultation process will be taken into consideration in the amended draft interventions.

As outlined in the draft interventions that have been published by my Department, several tree planting measures have been proposed to be included in the CAP Strategic Plan. Due to the long-term nature of forestry, it is not proposed to include forest planting measures in the new CAP measures, but a separate Forestry Programme which will be the successor of the current Forestry Programme 2014-2020 (extended to end 2022) will be developed.

The planting of trees has the potential to play a significant part in our environmental priorities especially water quality, biodiversity and climate. I remain committed to integration between the new Forest Strategy and the next CSP to ensure that measures in both will complement each other and lead to increased levels of tree planting.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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56. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farmers with existing tree plantations on their land-holdings will be allowed to count these in terms of carbon credits. [51252/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland is obliged to report and account for all greenhouse gases in Ireland under our international obligations and this includes sequestration and emissions from forestry.

This does not imply ownership but simply reflects the requirement for those reductions and emissions to be included in the State’s climate inventory. There is no such similar mandatory accounting framework for farmers or other private individuals. Forestry is not part of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

However, there is potential for some trading of forestry-generated carbon on voluntary markets which does take place in other countries mainly for corporate social responsibility by businesses rather than for mandatory compliance. 

Generally voluntary carbon markets are setup to incentivise activities that are in additionto what currently takes place and don’t generally provide funding for existing forests that are already sequestering carbon. However this is for the market to decide.

Forest owners can directly benefit from voluntary carbon markets depending on particular circumstances. For example this can be where a landowner partners with a private company who wish to be associated with the environmental benefits of the farmer’s forestry and will pay the farmer for this right.

My Department is at the early stages of exploring opportunities for the development of such a voluntary carbon market in Ireland.

This would look at encouraging reductions in emissions and at the same time develop a potential alternative source of income for landowners and foresters.

This could  be similar to our existing Woodland Environment Fund which includes a mix of private finance and state funding to pay farmers to establish native woodlands and this model has worked well or could be other voluntary models with similar outcomes.

Such carbon farming is highlighted as an option in the EU Green Deal and the European Commission is examining ways of encouraging activities that remove carbon across sectors, including involvement by the voluntary carbon trading sector. 

We will work with stakeholders and will explore options for the development of such tools which encourage the removal of carbon in line with these developments.

At the moment we directly fund afforestation by providing a range of grants, premiums and tax incentives on the sale of timber but there may be opportunities for adjusting this model in future through complementary voluntary carbon markets for example.

I am committed to putting farmers and forest owners at the very centre of this space.