Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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1114. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the breakdown of the forestry budget within his Department for 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13933/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The allocation for the forestry programme for 2021 was €103.424 million, of which €99.093 million was capital expenditure with €4.331 million was allocated to current expenditure.

There was a total spend of €69,567 million, made up of €68,034 million in capital and €1.533 million in current.

A primary reason for the Capital underspend was a shortfall in new planting.

The Afforestation scheme under the Forestry Programme is demand led. The 2021 estimate provided for the planting of 8,000ha under the scheme. In 2021 some 2,016 hectares of new forestry was planted of the 4,250 ha approved.

My Department intends to double the number of afforestation licences issued in 2022 to 1,040, which on average would represent 8,000 hectares. We have in addition 5,200 hectares already approved which has not been planted and we have recently written to applicants to remind them to use their approval before it expires. We will also be looking to all involved in forestry to promote the benefits of planting, especially as a complementary activity to farming, and we will be doing our part to communicate this message widely to all parts of society.

We will continue to monitor closely expenditure versus anticipated spend throughout 2022.