Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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326. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the area of GPC3 plantations which have been approved by his Department since 1 January 2022 that have not yet progressed to planting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54086/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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There are currently valid licences issued for approximately 7,000ha that could be utilised before the end of 2022. Of these 2,194 ha represents 714 applications with a GPC3 component, approved since 1st January 2022.

My Department has written out to all applicants with a valid licence in February this year encouraging them to utilise their licence and I would encourage anyone with a valid afforestation licence to contact their forester and arrange planting.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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327. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will specify the annual rate of afforestation COFORD have identified as required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54088/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The COFORD Council is a stakeholder platform that provides advice to the Department on the development of the forest sector. The current Council has recently published a number of reports covering areas from forest genetics, timber forecasts to climate change.

COFORD has recently published a series of statements on the importance of forests and wood products for climate change mitigation. These statements recognises the importance of afforestation and recommends that significant planting rates are required if we are to reach 18% forest cover by 2050 and that afforestation rates should double to 16,000 ha per year. My Department is currently finalising a new forestry programme which will provide attractive incentives for the planting of trees. While the target of 8000 ha per year is lower than the target suggested by COFORD, it is significantly higher than the existing levels of afforestation taking place. Land use change from grassland to forestry is a voluntary measure and my Department would encourage farmers to consider afforestation.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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328. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the annual target for afforestation under the native tree area scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54090/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The target of 8,000 hectares of new afforestation per year as set out in the Climate Action Plan 2021 includes all of my Department's tree planting measures that are 0.1 hectares or more in size. This includes the small-scale tree planting referred to in the Forestry Licensing Plan 2022 and it is currently intended that this will form part of our delivery on the 8,000 target.

As the Deputy may be aware, an amendment to the Forestry Act 2014 has passed through the Houses of the Oireachtas through the vehicle of the Animal Health and Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022. This amendment was necessary to remove the licensing requirement for the planting of native woodland in areas not greater than one hectare. It is my objective to increase and encourage interest in small scale planting and I am confident that this change to the Act will remove a barrier to such planting.

It is proposed that the exemption for the creation of up to one hectare of native woodland will be available through the Native Tree Area Scheme which my Department has designed. A draft Scheme document is included in the draft Forest Strategy Implementation Plan which was published on Tuesday the 18th of October and which is now subject to a 6-week public consultation process. Further development of the Scheme will be undertaken following the completion of this public consultation, including the consultation on the associated SEA Environmental Report and AA Natura Impact Report and any feedback received.