Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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368. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if peat regardless of its depth, which has been drained, reclaimed and farmed for livestock or tillage purposes, either intensively or extensively, can be returned to its undrained, un-reclaimed and undisturbed state; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31876/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The level to which an area of reclaimed peat used for agriculture can be returned, if so desired, to its “undisturbed state” depends on the original state, the level of reclamation, the intensity of management and the length of time since reclamation.

Each environmental element of the land’s original state, such as water quality and biodiversity etc., will have varying degrees of potential for restoration.

By way of example, a drained peat will have continuous high annual levels of CO₂emissions if land is maintained in a dry state. Changing the management and maintaining the high organic matter soil in a permanently moist/wet state will reduce the rate of oxidisation and thus reduce the rate of CO₂emissions.

On these lands the reduction of emissions is the main objective, as carbon sequestration is limited. This contrasts with the restoration of bogs where sequestration may occur on a restored site after an extended period, estimated at around 20 years, depending on site conditions.

There is much uncertainty in the data and knowledge related to peat soils used for agriculture and towards this end I continue to fund, among other initiatives, the National Agricultural Soil Carbon Observatory, which will comprise approximately 30 GHG “Flux Towers” across a range of soil types, the ReWet project led by Teagasc and the University of Galway which is looking at the impact of water table management on carbon rich soils and two locally led European Innovation Partnership (EIP) projects on reduced management intensity of farmed peatlands.

These investments will provide a greater understanding of how to reduce GHG emissions from these soils and manage them more sustainably.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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369. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine how farming activities on peat compare to planting trees on peat in terms of emitting carbon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31877/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Carbon sequestration by forests is influenced by a range of factors including species, soil type, site conditions and management practices. The rate of sequestration changes over time as a forest develops and matures. When forests are young the sequestration rate is low but as the trees mature, their ability to sequester carbon dioxide (CO₂) increases.

According to the Teagasc Farm Carbon Tool, the afforestation of one hectare of peat soils with 50% conifer (Sitka spruce) and 50% broadleaf (Sycamore, Alder and Birch mix) has the potential to remove 231 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare (tCO₂/ha). This figure is per rotation of the forest, over the first and subsequent rotation. This is based on a mean annual sequestration rate of 3.3 tonnes of CO₂per hectare per year (tCO₂/ha/yr) for the conifer species and 0.5 tCO₂/ha/yr for the broadleaf species on peat soils. The impact on emissions depends on the depth of the peat.

In comparison, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change emission values for farming activities on drained peat soils range from between 16.7 tons CO₂ Equivalents per ha for grassland with nutrient rich soil with shallow drainage, to 37.6 tons CO₂ Equivalents per ha for cropland with nutrient poor soil. Emissions are higher for cropland compared to permanent grassland as the soil is being disturbed annually, exposing the soil carbon and increasing the rate of oxidisation.

National specific peatland emission values are required for Ireland and to this end I continue to fund, among other initiatives, the National Agricultural Soil Carbon Observatory, which will comprise of approximately 30 GHG “Flux Towers” across a range of soil types. The data collected will enable Ireland to better quantify soil carbon emissions and sinks from agricultural land on peat soils.

The role of carbon sinks in climate policy is more important now than ever in helping us achieve our pathway towards carbon neutrality. Forestry has a significant role to play going forward and by acting now we can build a cleaner greener economy and society, which creates opportunities for us all.

My Department will continue to support farmers through the proposed new Forestry Programme 2023-2027 and through the significant commitments to schemes and payments under the CAP Strategic Plan. The Forestry Programme is now going through a process of State Aid approval with the European Commission in Brussels. When approval is received, we must work collectively to engage farmers and landowners to highlight the benefits of forestry.