Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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756. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department are accepting forestry form two applications which are now vital in keeping private forestry companies viable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14683/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has received, processed, and paid Form 2 applications for works completed under the 2014-2022 forestry programme. To March 22nd 2023 a total of €41,455,421 was expended from the forestry budget including €2.4 million on first grant (form 2) payments.

I can also confirm that system development work has been ongoing and is completed for submission of form twos under the Interim Afforestation and Road schemes and is currently being user tested. I expect this to be live for submission of Form twos under these schemes on Wednesday 29^thMarch.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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757. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the planting of any trees on Bord Na Móna peat lands will continue in the next forestry programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14684/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In October 2019, Coillte and Bord na Móna announced a new initiative to plant approximately 4 million native trees across 1,500 hectares of Bord na Móna land that is no longer used for peat production.

Bord na Móna formally ended all peat harvesting on its lands by the end of 2019. As a result of this cessation in peat harvesting, industrial cutover peatlands are becoming increasingly available for other land use options, including opportunities for the restoration of native woodland habitats.

Further to a request for support for exploration of possibilities for native woodland creation on former industrial cutaway peatlands by Bord na Móna, my Department developed a Pilot Scheme that is intended to facilitate the establishment of new native woodlands on state owned former industrial cutover peatlands on a pilot basis.

This Pilot Scheme facilitates native woodland regeneration at landscape scale, on some 203 ha in and around the Littleton Bog complex which straddles the Tipperary and Kilkenny county boundaries, aiming at minimum intervention, and is compatible with other forms of peatland restoration measures at this scale.

The overall purpose of the Pilot Scheme is to support biodiversity, help reduce carbon emissions and stabilise soils to minimise soil erosion. These objectives are therefore different to the objectives of the Afforestation Scheme. Grant funding for native woodlands created under this Pilot Scheme is subject to the applicant obtaining a licence for afforestation from the Minister.

The Pilot Scheme aims at mimicking natural vegetation establishment processes in high, dry areas and on slopes that are not suitable for re-wetting. Bord na Móna intends to complement their rehabilitation plans for end-of-life cutaway bogs by creating a mosaic of wetlands and sparse woodlands that enhances biodiversity value, stabilises the loose peatland soil and reduces carbon losses. No project like this has been undertaken before and the Pilot therefore includes the establishment of trials to explore the most effective silvicultural techniques.

The Pilot Scheme was developed in accordance with provisions of the Forestry Act 2014 and is compliant with national and EU legislation, operational and environmental guidelines. It has been proposed to continue to offer this Pilot through the Forestry Programme 2023-2027 subject to State Aid approval. Following the specific purpose of this Pilot Scheme, the Scheme is confined to State bodies who own former industrial cutaway peatlands.