Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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858. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applicants or members of the REAP scheme that have applied for afforestation approval under his Department’s afforestation grant and premium scheme for the month of April 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23037/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Results-Based Environment Agri Pilot Programme (REAP) is designed to trial the results-based approach on a national basis and to test the upscaling potential of the model for inclusion in the next national agri-environment scheme to follow GLAS. REAP incentivises farmers to maintain and improve the environmental condition of their land while delivering an important financial support to farmers.

The programme will run to the end of 2022 and there are currently 3,645 participants in REAP, none of whom applied to afforest their land in April 2022.

At applications stage, farmers could bring in between 2ha and 10ha of land with partnerships permitted to bring in up to 30ha.

Almost 32,000ha of land has been assessed and scored under the 2021 REAP programme to establish its environmental condition. Farmers will work with their advisers to undertake environmental improvement works on the land that can increase the environmental score in year two. REAP will focus on improving existing farm features rather than the creation of new features and habitats. Farms with higher environmental scores will receive larger payments.

While parcels brought into REAP may not be converted to forestry during the term of the REAP contract, afforestation is fully compatible with REAP. REAP participants are subject to a maximum land area of 10ha for individual farmers and 30ha for partnerships of three farm holdings.

The average REAP area under management per participant is 8.4ha. It is important to note that REAP is not a whole-of-farm project and that afforestation opportunities continue to exist for REAP participants on parcels that have not been selected for the project.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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859. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the expenditure by the Forest Service of his Department is in line with budget for April 2022, thereby ensuring there is no underspend again in his Department for 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23038/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Expenditure for April 2022 was €3,244,838.37 which is slightly under the profiled amount of €3,304,580. The remainder of the forestry budget has been apportioned to meet anticipated budgetary needs during the year.

The budget allocation provides for new planting, the servicing of existing afforestation contracts and payments in relation to forestry support schemes. The Deputy will be aware that the afforestation scheme is demand led. The Department will continue to closely monitor expenditure versus anticipated spend throughout 2022.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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861. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of private felling licences issued per week for the month of April 2022, in tabular form; the number of such felling licences approved which were subject to a field inspection by the local district inspector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23040/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The data for the number of private felling licences per week for the month of April is published in a Forestry Dashboard weekly, which is available on my Department's website which can be found at www.gov.ie/en/publication/3b8b5-2022-forestry-weekly-dashboard/

The total number of felling licences issued in April 2022 was 257. Of these, 60 were inspected according to Departmental records.

Our plans for licence issue in 2022 are contained in the Forestry Licensing Plan with a target of 5,250 licences issues, which is a year-on-year increase of 30%. This includes an increase of 36% in private felling licences to 1,830, while Coillte felling licences at 1,530 will maintain the levels they achieved in 2021. The Licensing Plan 2022 may be found here gov.ie - Forestry Licensing Plan 2022 (www.gov.ie).

Along with Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, the priority this year is to deliver on the ambition outlined in the Plan and to issue 5,250 licences, and to reach the projected targets in each licence category, including private felling.