Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

392. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what engagement is being carried out with stakeholders in the commercial timber sector in response to concerns about planting restrictions under the new Forestry Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49893/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Ireland received a State aid approval letter from the EU Commission regarding its new Forestry Programme. Among other things, this letter states that afforestation under the new programme “will be avoided on environmentally unsuitable sites. Afforestation will be adapted to environmental sensitivities, such as habitats and species (including NATURA sites, Freshwater Pearl Mussel and Hen Harrier, Breeding Curlew, open habitat birds, Annex I habitats), high nature value farmland, peat soils, hedgerows, water quality (including fisheries sensitive areas, waterbody status, acid sensitive areas), archaeology, landscape, and local sensitivities.”

It has been necessary to introduce some new application requirements to deal with environmental sensitivities and to restrict afforestation in some areas due to the concerns raised by the European Commission during our State Aid approval process. I remain committed to working with all our stakeholders to substantially increase our afforestation rates over the next decade in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Since the opening of the afforestation scheme under the new Forestry Programme in September the Department has held a number of in-person and online training sessions for Registered Foresters, Ecologists and Coillte covering topics such as changes to the requirements of the application process, peat survey techniques and habitat identification while also addressing queries from stakeholders.

Videos of any of the training that was recorded are being uploaded to the my Department's website together with the presentation slides. A Frequently Asked Questions document on the new afforestation scheme is also available on the website.

Teagasc held Nationwide in person Forest Information meetings on the New Forestry Programme in October.

Minister of State Pippa Hackett also met with Forest Industries Ireland in October to discuss all aspects of the new Forestry Programme and my officials continue to meet with them on a regular basis.

Engagement with stakeholders on the new Programme requirements will continue in the future with further training to be provided as required.

I am confident that the diverse range of forest types on offer, coupled with attractive grants and premiums in the new Forestry Programme, will support an increase in forestry afforestation and support scheme applications. A comprehensive and well-subscribed forestry programme has the potential to deliver lasting benefits not just for climate change, but for biodiversity, wood production, economic development and quality of life

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

394. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide figures on the number of forestry applications with ecology from September 2022 to date; if this information can be provided in tabular form, by month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49895/23]

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

395. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will advise on the average ecology processing times for forestry applications from September 2022 to date; if this information can be provided in tabular form, by month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49896/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 394 and 395 together.

The number of forestry applications referred to Ecology from September 2022 to date and the average Ecology process times for forestry applications, referred to and cleared by Ecology, from September 2022 to date, in tabular form by month, is set out below.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

397. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a review (details supplied) on his Department’s processes on forestry will be published, considering he advised in June 2023 that the final report was due to be delivered imminently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49898/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The review of the current management system , structures, staffing and skill set of the three Forestry divisions covers a wide range of areas in relation to licensing, sustainable forest management, forestry payments, forestry policy, both national and international, promotion, knowledge transfer and ancillary issues.

A comprehensive review is being finalised and I expect that the final report will be published shortly.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

398. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an overview of how his Department intends to promote the commercial forestry industry as part of the new Forestry Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49899/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government is committed to increasing the number of timber growers in the State and offers grants to fully establish new forests and support the management of the existing forest estate. The Government’s new Forest Strategy places a strong emphasis on the use of timber and its important role in reducing the amounts of concrete and steel in construction.

The new €1.3 billion Forestry Programme, launched in September, offers attractive grants and yearly premiums for landowners to plant new forests for timber. Applicants can receive grants of €4,452 per hectare, and annual payments of up to €863 per year for 20 years to plant a new diverse conifer forest for timber production with 20% broadleaf species through the new Afforestation Scheme.

My Department has commenced a comprehensive promotional and advertising campaign on all options available to landowners under this programme. The first phase of this campaign has included advertising in print and on radio, both national and regional as well as social media channels and is entering its second phase now with intensifying reach. The second phase of the local and regional radio campaign includes a bespoke farming package with spots around farming programmes. My Department will also be funding projects to promote commercial use of timber under the recent call for proposals for promotional projects.

Last week, Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Senator Pippa Hackett has appointed a new Steering Group to increase the use of timber in construction. This new Interdepartmental & Industry Steering Group on Timber in Construction brings together industry and government Departments to assess the needs of the sector and to increase the use of timber in construction. The group is tasked with examining potential obstacles to increasing the use of timber, including regulatory and standardisation challenges, and to maximising the use of home-grown timber.

We want to see more timber used in construction. Not only is wood a sustainable, home-grown product, but it can also replace steel and concrete, reducing the carbon footprint of our buildings. Timber used in construction is an excellent way of storing and locking up carbon and has a positive impact on our climate. We know our forests bring great benefits for our climate, water quality, nature and biodiversity - growing timber as a product for construction is also central to our climate efforts and to the future of the forest sector.