Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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738. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider allowing foresters to count their plantations in terms of carbon credits; if he will consider this course of action to be a recognition of the contribution that foresters make in the area of carbon sequestration as part of the climate action plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52824/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Forests and the establishment of new forests play an important role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The Climate Action Plan 2021 commits to the development of an enabling framework for the potential trading of carbon credits, and which rewards farmers for emissions reductions and carbon removals, including through potential private sector investment.

Like many other EU countries, Ireland is beginning to develop experience and knowledge in this area. The Woodland Environmental Fund (WEF) run by the Department is an early example of an initiative which facilitates private businesses making a payment for ecosystem services, including carbon capture when new native woodlands are established under the Afforestation scheme. This model works well and demonstrates a willingness of the private finance sector, in addition to afforestation grants and premiums, to reward farmers for activities that remove carbon.

Carbon farming, including land uses such as forestry can provide a number of opportunities for farmers to derive a new income stream for their farm. This is an initiative that the EU and Government want to see happen. I am very excited to see this model develop in the time ahead and I will ensure that farmers are at the very centre of this development.

I would also note that this Government has secured an additional €12 million in Budget 2023 for Forestry to reach a total budget of €112m, and my Department is currently in detailed discussion with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to agree grant and premium rates for a new Forestry Programme. This increased allocation recognises Governments commitment to forestry and recognises the important role of farmers and foresters in the establishment of new forests and their contribution to climate targets.

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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739. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the measures taken by the Forestry Service to resolve issues with the processing of forestry licences includes initiatives to reduce the paperwork needed by foresters when making their applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52825/22]

Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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759. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his response to the ongoing failure of his Department to consistently meet forestry licence issuance and afforestation targets. [53139/22]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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784. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which the issue of licences in the forestry sector continues to receive attention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53537/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 739, 759 and 784 together.

I ampleased to advise that this year we have seen considerable improvements in the issuance of forestry licences.

To date this year we have issued 3,914 licences which is 92% of our expected output at this point in the year and there are currently 953 approved afforestation licences with nearly 7,000 hectares ready for planting. The backlog has reduced from 6,000 in August 2021, to 3,700 in January of this year and now stands at 1,639. We are issuing more licences than applications received and this means that the backlog continues to drop, with faster turnaround times for new applicants.

When we published our Forestry Licensing Plan for 2022, we set an ambitious target of 5,250 licences, an increase of 30% on 2021.

We set individual targets across licensing categories. In terms of our targets in the year-to date, as of 21st October, we are at 94% of the target for roads, 89% for private felling and over 100% for Coillte felling. I acknowledge that afforestation figures are not quite keeping pace with other categories and are at 69% of year-to-date target .

However, the Department received 339 fresh afforestation applications, while 578 afforestation licences have issued. Furthermore, the pace of processing of these applications has picked up significantly, since increased ecological specialist resources have come online with 238 licences processed in the 3rd quarter of this year, compared to 131 in the second quarter.

We are embarking on an intensive effort over the last few weeks and next few weeks to prioritise afforestation with an aim of clearing older files ahead of the new forestry programme.

This improved outputs have been achieved through a commitment to continuous improvement as well as through the implementation of measures recommended under Project Woodland.

Work is on-going with the implementation of the 57 recommendations arising from a business process review carried out under Project Woodland, with 71% of the recommendations either complete or in progress. This builds on earlier improvements to our processes.

These improvements have facilitated the preparation of Appropriate Assessment Reports by my Department, which removes this burden from applicants in most cases. Associated with this and in order to assist foresters in submitting quality applications, we provided habitat map training and training for ecologists. Furthermore, a pre-application discussion pilot has been completed and we now intend to deliver this at a national level, along with the new Forestry Programme.

All of these measures are aimed at improving the quality of applications received and optimising the time of those assessing applications.

Furthermore, in tandem with reviewing processes, I have substantially increased the resources available to process forestry licences, and the positive impact of this can be seen in the increased number of licences issuing.

In addition, a legal and regulatory review of forestry licensing was carried out by Philip Lee Solicitors and, following extensive stakeholder engagement, their Report was published in June. The Project Board for Project Woodland has responded to these recommendations and my Department will now finalise a plan for the implementation of the Report, with a certain number of actions already underway.

This improvement in licence output will remove one of the perceived barriers to planting. I am acutely aware of the afforestation target of 8,000 hectares per year set out in the Climate Action Plan and the fact that afforestation rates have been declining in recent years.

As Deputies will know, the current Forestry Programme provides supports for afforestation including grants and premiums and covers the cost of establishing a forest. Despite strong support for landowners over a period of 15 years, we have not achieved the level of planting anticipated. We hope that a new Forestry Programme will re-engage landowners, farmers in particular, and realise the land-use change needed.

The draft Forestry Programme 2023 - 2027 forms part of the Implementation Plan for the new Forest Strategy. Both the Strategy and the Implementation Plan are currently undergoing public consultation.

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 intend to 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.

It is my intention to introduce a programme which will deliver for society, for landowners and for the forestry sector in Ireland. Its objective will be to expand the national forest estate on both private and public land. I hope to incentivise farmers in particular to re-engage with forestry and we hope to offer increases in grants and premiums to enable land-use change. A comprehensive and well-subscribed forestry programme has the potential to deliver lasting benefits for climate change, biodiversity, wood production, economic development and quality of life. I am confident that once the programme is launched that both public and private actors will support it in order to realise its ambition.

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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740. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to review the current reconstitution and underplanting scheme; his views on complaints from the sector that it is not fit for purpose; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52826/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I have met with landowners whose forests have ash dieback and I am more than aware of their concerns.

Since the first finding of ash dieback disease in Ireland, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has provided support totalling over €7 million 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 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. 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.

As the Deputy may be aware, the draft Forest Strategy and Forest Strategy Implementation Plan which includes the next Forestry Programme measures, including the Reconstitution intervention, were published on Tuesday 18^thOctober. These are now subject to a six-week public consultation process. This means that stakeholders and interested parties can review the measures and Schemes that are being proposed for the next Forestry Programme and may submit their feedback.

DAFM is currently in discussions with the Department of Expenditure and Reform in respect of sanction for the new Forestry Programme.

Once those discussions have concluded I will be in position to publish details of proposed financial supports for the new forestry measures. I am confident that we will deliver the biggest Forestry Programme to date which will ensure that forestry continues to be central to the Government's efforts to reach our climate goals as well as strongly supporting the rural economy.

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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741. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if forestry grants and premia are to be increased through the measures announced in Budget 2023. [52827/22]

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 new grant and premium rates for the next Programme, in order to incentivise the necessary levels of planting for Ireland to meet its afforestation targets. This continues a dialogue which started earlier this year.

While discussions in this area are ongoing, once concluded, the Department aims to provide this information regarding grants and premium rates at the earliest opportunity prior to the launch of the Forestry Programme for the period 2023 - 2027.

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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742. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the ‘Issues impacting the Forestry Sector’ report from the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and the Marine and its recommendation to review the decision to stop plantations on un-enclosed lands as much as possible, in terms of meeting Ireland’s annual afforestation target; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52828/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The ‘Issues impacting the Forestry Sector’ report from the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and the Marine recommends a review of a decision made by the Department to restrict the planting of unenclosed land in December 2010, to no more than 20% of any one application.

Unenclosed land is, in general, less fertile and more exposed than enclosed land and trees planted on unenclosed land generally do not perform as well as trees planted on soil types associated with enclosed land. Prior to the decision to restrict planting of unenclosed land, a number of studies supported the position that habitat types associated with unenclosed land are more environmentally sensitive than enclosed land. Furthermore, recent research on forestry on peats indicates that these forests can be a source of carbon dioxide.

As the Deputy may be aware, the draft Forest Strategy Implementation Plan which includes the next Forestry Programme for the period 2023 – 2027 Plan is currently undergoing a period of public consultation. The Programme includes a draft proposal that unenclosed land will no longer be eligible for grant aid. For all afforestation applications processed under the next Forestry Programme, the land will have to comply with the Department’s Land Types for Afforestation Document which sets out the criteria for eligibility of land under the Afforestation Scheme. Further to the public consultation, the document will be updated for the next Forestry Programme.