Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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1122. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the annual afforestation target of 8,000 ha is consistent with the advice of an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36987/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The COFORD Council is a stakeholder platform which advises my Department on issues related to the development of the forest sector in Ireland. In its recent report ‘Forests and wood products, and its importance in climate change mitigation’ COFORD advised that 16,000 ha of annual afforestation is required if Ireland is to achieve the government target of 18% forest cover by 2050.

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.

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. However, 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.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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1123. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of private meetings that he or his junior Minister with responsibility for forestry had with Coillte in 2021 and 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36988/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I and Minister of State Hackett have had meetings with Coillte over the course of 2021 and 2022. These meeting range from in person and virtual. This is line with engagements with other state agencies under the ageis of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Minister McConalogue had engagements on the following dates:

10/2/2021

7/5/2021

8/7/2021

13/1/2022

Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsbility for the sector, has had engagements on the following dates:

12/2/2021

18/7/2021

12/4/2021

7/5/2021

31/5/2021

13/8/2021

22/11/2021

24/11/2021

13/01/2022

27/01/2022