Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The new ambitious €1.3bn Forestry Programme 2023-2027 will replace the previous Forestry Programme of 2014-2020 (extended to 2022) which expired at the end of 2022. The Native Tree Area Scheme will be included in the new Programme.

This scheme will allow farmers to apply for areas up to one hectare without the requirement for a forestry licence. As such it will an opportunity for farmers to engage in small scale tree planting and it is my expectation that it will encourage interest in forestry.

We have been working intensively with the European Commission to secure State Aid approval for the new Programme. Once approval has been received we will be in a position to launch the new Programme, pending finalisation of the Strategic Environmental Assessment, which I am assured is also nearing completion.

At this time, all applications that are in the system are being worked on and processed in the normal manner, progressing to the point just before certification and approval. The aim is to have all the work completed on as many grant aid files as possible, so that approvals will be ready to issue as soon as the state aid approval is granted.

I launched the Interim De Minimis scheme for afforestation and roads to help bridge the lacuna between the old and new Forestry Programmes. As you are aware, there are 1,023 approved afforestation licences with 7,591 ha ready for planting and to date over 1,500ha hectares have been approved for planting under the Interim De Minimis scheme as. A similar Scheme was launched for Reconstitution and Underplanting (Ash Dieback).

I assure you that the launch of the €1.3bn Forestry Programme 2023-2027 including the Native Woodland Scheme is a matter of the utmost priority for me and my Department.