Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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350. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address a query regarding the retrieval of forestry land (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36958/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Government policy is to promote sustainable forest management as a central principle of Ireland’s forest policy, whereby forests are managed to provide economic, social and environmental benefits on a sustainable basis for both current and future generations.

Consequently, the permanent removal of forests for conversion to another land use, i.e. felling without replanting or deforestation, where a felling licence under the Forestry Act 2014 is required, will only be considered by the Department under exceptional circumstances.

The main scenarios where the permanent removal of trees and forests may be considered on a case-by-case basis and on their own individual merits by Department, including whether or not the replanting of alternative land will be required, are as follows:

1. Where there are overriding environmental considerations, e.g. the felling and non-replanting is intended to protect habitats and species listed as qualifying interests within SACs and SPAs;

2. To support renewable energy and energy security, e.g. a large scale windfarm installations;

3. Large scale commercial development inter alia likely to generate significant economic benefits for the local economy and community at large, e.g. a data centre;

4. Conversion of forest land to agricultural land; and

5. The provision of important public utilities and infrastructure, e.g. a gas pipeline or a high voltage electricity transmission line.

In response to the impact of ash dieback on plantations nation-wide, we offer support to owners under the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (RUS) scheme, details of which are found at this link on gov.ie:

www.gov.ie/en/service/ddc94-reconstitution-and-underplanting-scheme-ash-dieback/.

If this owner does not wish to avail of RUS and wishes instead to convert to another land use a felling licence application would need to be submitted along with a case for conversion. When received my officials can then examine the context of the application and engage with the applicant. In such cases, if successful, the landowner / applicant would normally have to:

a. Refund any payments received from the Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme under which the forest was planted;

b. Comply with the Department’s requirements, as they currently are, regarding the afforestation of alternative lands in lieu of the lands deforested.

In addition the application would need to be consistent with our stated policy per the Felling and Reforestation Policy document.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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351. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the environmental grant as outlined in circular 13/2022 is designed to cover all the costs of environmental reports as required by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36959/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Mackinnon report, which reviewed the forestry licensing approval process, recommended that where an environment report is required it be supported by an associated planning grant. This aim of such a grant is to improve the quality of afforestation applications in particular as they address environmental aspects, to increase the throughput of applications by my Department and to ensure applicants and their agents are reasonably reimbursed for the additional costs associated with the required standard and scope of environmental reports.

My Department has now introduced an environmental grant which will form part of the 1st instalment Afforestation grant to be paid in 2022, in cases where an environmental report has been submitted. This additional grant payment pays €450/ hectare for the first hectare, €400 for the second hectare, €350 for the third hectare and €50/hectare from 4 hectares capped at 20 hectares.

There is a wide variation in the cost of environmental reports depending on the circumstances of each case. Most will require a habitat map but some will require more than one report. This payment regime covers the average cost of such reports and is in general expected to cover the costs incurred for most sites.

There is no extra burden on applicants or their registered foresters in accessing this payment, as we will accept their Form 2 application as sufficient to apply for the grant and we do not require the submission of invoices to support the payment.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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352. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the small scale tree planting proposal as outlined by him in the Forestry Licensing Plan 2022 is and will be regarded as afforestation and subject to the consent regime as detailed in section 1.5.1 of a report (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36960/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Government has the stated policy goal of incentivising small-scale tree planting and of re-engaging farmers with afforestation. Key to the success of increasing afforestation rates is to build confidence among landowners of the benefits of forestry as a viable option to complement existing enterprises.

The changes introduced as part of the Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022, allow the introduction of Regulations to facilitate small scale planting of native tree areas without the need to first obtain an afforestation licence, any approvals issued under such a scheme will count as afforestation.