Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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341. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any of the frost reconstitution applications lodged with his Department have been processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36905/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department launched a Reconstitution of Woodland scheme to address frost damage earlier this year. The scheme was set up due to significant late spring frost events which took place during May 2019, May 2020, and May 2021.

The scheme was established to reconstitute newly planted forests significantly damaged by these frost events and replacing dead trees with plants of acceptable quality, provenances and species. It is also to provide for remedial pruning of damaged crops where damage is significant but not severe enough to warrant full replacement of stems.

The scheme is open to private forest owners who planted during the period between 1st November 2017 and 1st June 2021 and whose entire plantations sustained a minimum of 30% losses are eligible to apply under the Scheme.

My Department received 390 applications in the Reconstitution of Woodland Scheme (Frost) up to the closing date, which was extended to 31st May. We are currently processing these applications.

Full scheme details are available on gov.ie - Schemes and Payments (www.gov.ie).

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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342. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actual output in the current forestry programme per measure and per year since its inception in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36906/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Forestry Programme 2014 - 2020 (extended to 2022) is a 100% Exchequer funded programme, which is being delivered across 11 measures. The aim of the programme is to support a competitive and sustainable forest sector that provides economic, environmental and social benefits to society. The programmes covers new planting, sustainable forest management, the investment in infrastructure, prevention and restoration of damage to forests, knowledge transfer and information, and forest environment , climate and recreational services.

Outputs from the programme per measure and per year since its inception in tabular form is attached.

It is worth noting that forestry schemes are voluntary and demand-led. I acknowledge that planting levels in particular did not reach expected targets with a noticeable decline in recent years. It is my intention that this be addressed in the new Forestry Programme which is under development. This programme is the implementation plan for the new Forest Strategy.The Forest Strategy will focus on a number of key strategic themes such as climate, wood, nature, people, economy and rural development. It will represent a shared vision for forestry in Ireland, and will be shaped by the extensive consultation already conducted which included a wide range of stakeholder engagements. The results of those engagements are currently being examined and will feed into the design of the Strategy which will underpin the new Forestry Programme.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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343. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the specific incentives that his Department will include within the revised Cap Strategic Plan draft to promote afforestation within the next Common Agricultural Policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36907/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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There will be close alignment between the CAP Strategic Plan - which is still to be approved by the European Commission - and the new national Forestry Programme over the coming period.

Significant tree planting measures are proposed for inclusion in two schemes under the CAP Strategic Plan, namely, the Pillar 1 Eco-scheme and the new Pillar 2 ACRES scheme. Both schemes will be voluntary for farmers to participate in.

The Eco-Scheme will be an annual scheme with the option to opt-in or opt-out each year. It will be comprised of a menu of eight agricultural practices, with farmers required to complete two practices in a given year. One of these practices will require the planting of three native trees or one metre of hedgerow per hectare per annum. In cases where a farmer increases the planting rate to six trees or two metres of hedgerow per hectare per annum, s/he will qualify for the full Eco-scheme payment. The Eco-Scheme will aim to engage as many farmers as possible, and it is therefore hoped that this option will provide the basis for the planting of significant numbers of trees over the period of the Plan.

The ACRES (Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme) will be a multi-annual scheme which will include an option for farmers to plant trees and/or hedges. They will have the option to select actions based around planting trees in rows, groups or parkland. In addition, farmers are also proposed to be offered actions relating to planting trees in riparian buffer strips as well as potentially planting tree belts adjacent to farmyards with a view to capturing ammonia.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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344. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the annual area of afforestation required to reach climate change objectives by 2050; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36908/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Climate Action Plan 2021 provides a detailed plan for taking decisive action to achieve a 51% reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and setting Ireland on a path to reach net-zero emissions by no later than 2050. An annual afforestation target of 8,000 hectares is outlined in the Plan.

The current Forestry Programme which commenced in 2015 and has been extended to the end of 2022 provides significant supports for afforestation. This includes grants and premiums for 12 different planting categories to promote a good species mix and covers 100% of the cost of establishing a forest

As the Deputy may be aware, afforestation levels have been declining in recent years and Project Woodland was established in February 2021 to ensure that a new impetus is brought to woodland creation in Ireland. A national shared vision for the future of Ireland's trees and forests and a new Forestry Strategy are currently being developed. This new Forest Strategy will underpin a new Forestry Programme for the period 2023 - 2027. Supports will be included in the next Forestry Programme to incentivise afforestation. I am committed to working with all our stakeholders to substantially increase our afforestation rates over the next decade.

Current Government Policy, through the Climate Action Plan, sets afforestation targets in excess of 8,000 ha. However, I am also aware that afforestation is a voluntary land use choice for landowners. Any target that is set must be realistic and we have set an ambitious target which is a significant step up from existing levels achieved in recent years.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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345. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the processing and issuing of licence and scheme approvals for the month of June 2022 is in line with his Department's phased plan for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36909/22]

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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346. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actual applications versus the phased projected monthly plan for licence and scheme applications in his Department's plan and for the year to date in 2022 and in June 2022 for Coillte felling, private felling, roads, afforestation and ash dieback RUS, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36918/22]

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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348. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actual output versus the phased projected monthly plan for licence and scheme approvals in his Department's plan for the year to date in 2022 and in June 2022 for Coillte felling, private felling, roads, afforestation and ash dieback RUS in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36920/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 345, 346 and 348 together.

My Department issued 4,050 forestry licences last year, which was an increase of 56% on the number issued in 2020. It is my priority this year to increase the number of licences issued to 5,250.

Up to 30th June, we have issued 2,449 licences, just behind the projected average of 2,625. It is, however, inevitable, in the context of the annual target figures, there will be fluctuations in licence output and across categories from week to week. We have devoted extra resources to licensing and I remain confident that by year end we will achieve our projected targets. In June we achieved our overall target for the month.

As regards RUS while we committed in our Licensing Plan to increasing output this year, the Plan does not include an annual target as many RUS applications are screened in for Appropriate Assessment and are referred to ecology. Of these, any that propose replacing the ash crop with conifer species currently require planning permission.

We have had successful engagement with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to this requirement for planning permission. From those discussions we expect that legislation to remove the requirement for planning permission in all cases under 10 hectares will be introduced after the Summer recess.

I attach a table outlining output vs target in each of the licensing categories.

In the interest of full transparency details of all licences issued by category are available on the weekly dashboard. This is published on the Departmental website and is made available to all interested parties as well as being submitted to the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine each week.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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347. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the expenditure by the Forestry Service for the month of June 2022 versus June 2021 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36919/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The expenditure under the Forestry Budget for the month of June this year and last is shown in the table below:

Expenditure by the Forest Service, DAFM - the month of June 2022versus June 2021

The spending in June this year is in excess of last year and is slightly under the profiled amount of €3,997,000. The remainder of the forestry budget has been apportioned to meet anticipated budgetary needs during the year and will be closely monitored.