Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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652. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if further information will be provided in relation to the plans by Coillte (details supplied) to use public private partnerships to acquire land going back to March 2021; the way in which he was informed of same; the reason that members of Dáil Éireann were not informed; if he drew the attention of an Taoiseach to the plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2868/23]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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669. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3365/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 652, 658 and 669 together.

Coillte is a private limited company established under the Forestry Act 1988 and is operationally independent from the Minister and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I am, therefore, not in position to comment on any operational issues relating to the establishment of the new investment fund. Neither my Department nor myself were involved in the establishment of the Fund.

On the policy issues raised, the primary aim of the proposed new Forestry Programme is to enable Ireland to use its potential for afforestation to help meet its national emission reduction and biodiversity obligations while, at the same time, supporting the forestry sector and farm families. This is why the Government have committed €1.3 billion to this Programme, with substantially higher payments for farmers. This is biggest and best-funded Forestry Programme ever introduced by any Government here, and it has been designed to ensure that farmers will be its primary beneficiaries.

The afforestation targets set out in both the Programme and the Climate Action Plan are ambitious and will require the input of all stakeholders. It is Government policy that Coillte, as the State forestry company, should play its part too by re-engaging with afforestation and they have responded to this in their new Forestry Vision and Strategy. They have indicated that they will support the delivery of Ireland's afforestation targets through a suite of initiatives which will contribute 100,000 hectares by 2050. As the company is precluded following a decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union from directly receiving premiums, they have indicated that some of the implementation of their strategy will be collaboration with third parties in projects.

Farmers, being the biggest cohort of landowners, will have the most opportunity to benefit from the new Forestry Programme and will receive 33% more premium payments than any other landowner under the Programme. There is also a role for Coillte and for non-farmers in helping to achieve our ambitious afforestation targets, and the new Forestry Programme will provide for this too. This will include support for the creation of new forests in Ireland through the harnessing of funding and assets from private and public sources, including afforestation grants and premiums, to provide long term social returns for all stakeholders. In other words, where land is in private ownership, whether farmer or non-farmer, it will be eligible for grants and premiums under the new Programme, as is currently the case under the existing programme.

Coillte advised the Department of its intention to engage in increased afforestation, including through business partnership arrangements, during the development of their new Forestry Strategic Vision, which was launched on 21st April 2022. As I have previously outlined, the question of consent or approval by the shareholders does not arise in relation to Coillte’s role in providing services to the Fund. It is an operational matter for Coillte and they were under no obligation to seek consent.

Senior representatives of Coillte have since met with myself and Minister Hackett on 19th January and outlined their intention on wider afforestation generally and that the Irish Strategic Forestry Fund which is one of the targets to achieve

One of the other initiatives which Coillte are pursuing is the planting of native woodlands through their involvement in Nature Partners’ CLG. This is a non-commercial entity, which aims to increase the percentage of land under native woodlands. Coillte is providing management services and land acquisition services to the company but the company may procure these services other than from Coillte. I have asked Coillte to inform the interested Deputies directly on the plans for Coillte Nature CLG.