Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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725. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason that the details of the new forestry programme are not yet known in order for it to be marketed by stakeholders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52697/22]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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726. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there is danger of further job losses in the private forestry sector if the details of the new forestry programme are not made available immediately to ensure that it is marketable now and in place to commence on 1 January 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52700/22]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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729. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the projected loss in output in financial terms to private forestry companies who cannot engage in business due to the next forestry programme not being marketable at present, meaning that they have literally nothing to sell; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52725/22]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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730. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will offer financial supports to the private forestry sector to ensure companies remain viable, following delays within his Department to announce details of the new forestry programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52726/22]

Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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731. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether it is acceptable that the details of the next forestry programme are not yet known to stakeholders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52733/22]

Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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732. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which he intends to address the delay in announcing details of the next forestry programme in order that forestry companies can start selling the next package; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52734/22]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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756. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) and provide an update on the new forestry programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53111/22]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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771. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the new forestry programme will be launched; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53361/22]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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772. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will introduce a support scheme to support forestry in view of the delay in launching the new forestry programme; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this delay has pushed many small businesses to the brink of closure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53363/22]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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783. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which the requirements of the forestry industry are being made in order to ensure the orderly development of Ireland’s forests and attention to the ongoing needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53536/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 725, 726, 729, 730, 731, 732, 756, 771, 772 and 783 together.

I am of the pressures impacting the forestry sector and met with representatives last week to explain progress towards finalising the new Forestry Programme for the period 2023 to 2027 and to reiterate my commitment to supporting the sector.

A thriving and resilient private forestry sector will continue to be central to the delivery of the Government’s forestry goal and I believe that the best solution to assisting the sector now is delivery of a well-resourced and ambitious forestry programme.

It is worth noting the considerable work that has been undertaken this year in developing a vision for a new future for forestry in Ireland. I am referring to the recently published Shared National Vision for Trees, Woods and Forests in Ireland until 2050 which was informed by a series of extensive engagements and consultation. The Vision has informed a new Forestry Strategy for Irelandwhich has been developed by Working Group 2 of Project Woodland.

In parallel, a draft Forest Strategy Implementation Planhas also been developed to facilitate the initial steps in the implementation of the Forest Strategy. This Plan comprises a list of actions and measures and includes the Forestry Programme for the period 2023-2027 which will be the main implementation vehicle for the Forest Strategy in the immediate to short term.

The draftForest Strategyand Forest Strategy Implementation Plan were published on Tuesday the 18^thof October and are now subject to a 6-week public consultation process. This means that stakeholders and interested parties are aware of the measures and Schemes that are being proposed for the next Forestry Programme and may submit their feedback on all elements.

Alongside this public consultation process, my Department is currently engaged in detailed discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to agree funding. We are also in contact with European Commission and are initiating the process for State Aid approval for the new Programme.

I will publish the financial supports for the new Programme at the earliest opportunity. In parallel, once the public consultation process has been completed we will take account of submissions received to arrive at a final version.

As regards payment to forestry companies and forest owners, we have to date this year paid out over €61.5 million which is a significant, fully Exchequer funded, investment in forestry. This is broadly in line with payments for the same period in 2021. We will continue to deal with payments in a timely manner, as has been our practice to date.

Specifically, as regards the Frost Reconstitution scheme, approvals are issuing daily. We expect to receive applications for payments from the sector shortly and we will be issuing payments in respect of these applications promptly. We would expect where all requirements are met that there will be no delay in making payment under this scheme and the first payments will be issuing by end of this month.

In terms of liquidity, I have met the pillar banks this week to highlight clearly that we are about to deliver on a new Forestry Programme and to reiterate how central the forestry sector is to Government policy.

I am firmly committed to introducing a well - funded Forestry Programme which both meets the needs of society and that of the sector, and this will provide guaranteed long-term investment in the sector.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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727. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the project afforestation forecast for 1 January 2023 to 31 March 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52701/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The new National Forestry Strategy and Forestry Strategy Implementation Plan(including the Forest Programme) has been put out to public consultation and they are available to view now on my Department's website. The aim of the new Progamme is to enable Ireland to use its potential for afforestation to help meet its national emission reduction obligations, while at the same time increasing incomes on most farming systems.

The Programme will seek to provide incentives for all landowners, while at the same time placing farmers firmly at the centre of a suite of new and improved forestry schemes. We are currently in discussion with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform regarding funding for the forest Programme and when those discussions have concluded we will publish grant and premium rates.

Considering the voluntary nature of the Scheme, it is not possible to determine the area that will be planted in any particular timeframe. However, there are currently valid licences issued for approximately 7000ha and I would encourage anyone with a valid afforestation licence to contact their forester and arrange planting under the new programme.

Positive messaging around the benefit of afforestation is the responsibility of all, in particular, those with a direct line of communication to farmers and landowners. My Department has agreed a communication plan to accompany the new programme to encourage landowners to make that land use choice and consider the financial, environmental and climate contributions that accrue.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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728. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will detail the correspondence between his Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform relating to the next forestry programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52724/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the draft Forest Strategy Implementation Planwhich includes the next Forestry Programme for the period 2023 – 2027 is currently undergoing a period of public consultation.

Having secured an additional €12 million in Budget 2023 for Forestry to reach a total budget of €112m, the Department is currently engaged in detailed discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to agree the entire funding package for the new Programme and in particular the new grant and premium rates which aim to incentivise the necessary levels of planting for Ireland to meet its afforestation targets. This continues a dialogue which started earlier this year.

The Department of Agricuture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) continues to actively engage with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on this matter and a draft of the Forestry Programme was provided to them in advance of the ongoing public consultation. A Cost Benefit Analysis of the Programme is currently being finalised which DAFM will share with the Department of Expenditure and Reform upon completion.

While discussions in this area are ongoing, when concluded, DAFM aims to provide information regarding grants and premium rates at the earliest opportunity.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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733. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 478, 479 and 480 of 13 October 2022, if he will confirm that his Department has received only two applications for the ash dieback RUS scheme in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52743/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Since the first finding of ash dieback disease in Ireland, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has provided support totalling over €7m to owners of ash plantations impacted by ash dieback disease through the ash dieback reconstitution scheme (introduced in 2013) and more recently the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (Ash Dieback) introduced in July 2020.

The current scheme provides 100% grant aid to landowners to clear their ash crop, replant with an alternate species and manage their forest until successfully established.

This year to date nearly €850,000 has been paid out in site clearance and replanting grants under the RUS Scheme. In 2022, we have received 42 applications to date and 833 applications in total for 3,161 hectares since the scheme opened in 2020.

Of these 327 for 1,083 hectares have been approved, with one refusal. This means that there remains 505 applications for 2,068 hectares on hand, and I assure Deputies that we are focussed on dealing with these.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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734. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 478, 479 and 480 of 13 October 2022, the length of time that the applications for the reconstitution and underplanting scheme were applied for prior to his Department issuing 120 further information requests in the past two weeks in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52744/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Since the first finding of ash dieback disease in Ireland, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAF) has provided support totalling over €7m to owners of ash plantations impacted by ash dieback disease through the ash dieback reconstitution scheme (introduced in 2013) and more recently the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (Ash Dieback) introduced in July 2020.

The current scheme provides 100% grant aid to landowners to clear their ash crop, replant with an alternate species and manage their forest until successfully established.

This year to date nearly €850,000 has been paid out in site clearance and replanting grants under the RUS Scheme. We received 833 applications in total for 3,161 hectares. Of these 327 for 1,083 hectares have been approved, with one refusal. This means that there remains 505 applications for 2,068 hectares on hand, and I assure the Deputy that we are focussed on dealing with these.

We continue to process to approval those cases which are not affected by the requirement for planning permission. The legislation to remove the requirement for planning permission for Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme projects less than 10 ha in size is a matter for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and concerns projects where broadleaves are replaced with conifers.

That Department has completed the first stage in the Strategic Environment Assessment screening process and notified the prescribed statutory consultees on 22nd September 2022. Those statutory consultees have four weeks to respond to the notice. An Appropriate Assessment screening process is also currently being undertaken in parallel by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’s Ecological Assessment Unit.

I am hopeful that this legislative change will be put in place once these processes are finalised.

Even where planning permission is not required i.e. in cases where broadleaf replaces broadleaf, we need complete applications and we have in recent weeks sent out 132 further information requests to applicants, specifically in relation to broadleaf-to-broadleaf plantations; predominantly requesting harvest plans and reforestation maps. These are now being submitted and we will process them as we receive them. The breakdown of these further information requests is as follows:

Length of time with the Department:

It is intended to continue to offer the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme through the next Forestry Programme which will cover the period from 2023-2027, and as Deputies will be aware,the Programme is currently undergoing public consultation as part of the SEA/AA process. I have of course met with landowners whose forests have ash dieback and I am more than aware of their concerns and I will continue to work to address them.