Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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561. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has engaged with the European Commission on allowing Coillte to avail of Government grants or premiums within the proposed forestry programme; if he will confirm whether these discussions have delayed the application being ratified by the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33454/23]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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562. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if Coillte will be allowed to claim either grants or premiums in the Forestry Programme 2023-2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33459/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 561 and 562 together.

Ireland’s current afforestation premia are offered under the guidelines for State Aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors and in rural areas. These guidelines were revised last year and the updated guidelines have now come into effect from 1 January 2023. The revised guidelines, under Section 2.1.1 (Aid for afforestation and creation of woodland) and Section 2.3 (Aid for forest-environment and climate services and forest conservation) now include the possibility of public landowners to avail as beneficiaries without restrictions. This allows for the possibility of public authorities, including Coillte, to avail of both grants and premiums.

The Commission is currently reviewing our formal State Aid Notification for the proposed Forestry Programme and will decide whether the aid is compatible with EU rules.

My Department has been engaging proactively and intensively with the Commission to date, in order to secure State Aid approval for the new Programme.