Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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197. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the impact that the EU Restoration Law proposal may have on the 8,000 hectare per year afforestation target and consequent carbon sequestration targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53751/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, is the lead in relation to the Nature Restoration Law.

The proposed Nature Restoration Law is a key element of the EU Biodiversity Strategy which calls for binding targets to restore degraded ecosystems. Across Europe there has been widespread decline in biodiversity with many habitats in poor condition. The proposed regulation will have specific targets to restore a wide range of important habitats which will also bring back species populations as these habitats improve.

Forestry and increasing the area of new forests is important for achieving our climate targets and will depend on planting lands at scale. However, increasing the area of new forests cannot be to the detriment of damaging vulnerable habitats. Climate change and biodiversity targets must be assessed together. When new forests are considered, it is important that we ensure the overall impact is positive for nature as well as climate change mitigation.

Expanding Ireland's forest estate will require significant areas of land and the Programme for Government has committed to a Land Use Review which will examine a range of objectives which will help inform land use policy in Ireland. This work is well progressed and will be completed next year. I would also like to point out that planting forests can have a significant beneficial impact for nature restoration. The Nature Restoration law will have specific targets for forest ecosystems and urban areas where planting trees will be hugely beneficial. My Department look forward to ensuring that our forests play a positive role in nature restoration in any targets agreed.