Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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518. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he intends to launch the native woodland conservation scheme as part of the new forestry programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6645/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to say that the Native Woodland Conservation (NWC) Scheme was launched yesterday 12 February by my colleague Minister Pippa Hackett and is now open to new applications.

The scheme offers eligible private and public forest owners financial support for the appropriate restoration, conservation and enhancement of existing native woodland for sustainable forest management. This measure has been developed and implemented in partnership with Woodlands of Ireland, the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS), the Heritage Council, Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and other native woodland stakeholders.

Ireland’s native woodlands support a wide variety of ecosystem functions and services. They protect and enhance our biodiversity, and soil and water quality, while mitigating the challenges that we face through climate change. Through the new Forestry Programme 2023-2027, this new scheme supports forest owners to deliver these benefits. Increased grants of €6,000 per hectare for restoration and enhancement works have been introduced, along with an increased Payment for Ecosystems Services of €500 per hectare, paid over seven years. I am delighted that we can reward and support Native Woodland owners so that they can manage and conserve these forests for future generations to enjoy, and I encourage all native woodland owners to apply for the scheme to maximise the benefits of their forests.

Many of Ireland’s native woodlands have been under-managed. The NWC Scheme provides support to woodland owners to tackle such under-management, and to promote the sustainability of forest and woodland habitats, through appropriate restoration measures, which will be identified following a careful assessment of the woodland and its needs by an Ecologist and a Registered Forester.

The NWC scheme supports “close to nature” forest management that can bring environmental and climate benefits. It creates opportunities for implementing traditional forms of woodland management that form part of our countryside heritage, as well as for the provision of local amenities and opportunities for woodland interpretation and environmental education.

Those forest owners who applied for the Native Woodland scheme under the previous Forestry Programme , and who have not yet received approval, along with those with existing approvals under the previous scheme who have not commenced work, will receive correspondence advising them of their options in the coming week.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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519. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the date he intends to launch the revised ash dieback scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6646/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 519 and 521 together.

A detailed Ash dieback action plan is being prepared by Minister of State, Senator Pippa Hackett for submission to Cabinet for approval in the very near future. This will outline comprehensive actions by my Department to deal with the issue of ash dieback. Detailed deliberations are taking place to ensure an efficient, appropriate and proportionate response.

As part of the Forest Strategy Implementation plan, the Minister is establishing a Forestry Strategy Consultative Committee (FSCC) to support this work.Members of the FSCC have been selected from a broad range of relevant stakeholders. This Committee will establish a range of sub-groups to inform its activities, and in this regard will convene a specific subgroup which will work as a task force to ensure a greater level of engagement and action on ash dieback and other forest health matters.

In July 2023 my Department launched the Reconstitution scheme for Ash Dieback under the new Programme 2023-27 with the following enhanced features:

• 100% increase in the site clearance grant rate, from €1,000 to €2,000.
• Enhanced replanting grant rates under the new Forestry Programme 2023-2027;Those applicants whose sites are still in premium will continue to receive the premium due for the remaining years;
• In addition, for those in receipt of farmer rate of premium, a top up premium equal to the difference between the equivalent forestry type and the existing premium will be paid. This will be calculated for the remaining years left in premium and paid in a single sum.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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520. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the area of clearfell and thinning licensed per county for 2024, 2025, 2026; the details that are available to him on the felling licence application provided by the applicants, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6647/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Felling licences may have an operational period of up to 10 years, with timings for harvesting events, whether thinning, clearfell or both, contained at periods within that. The following information has been obtained from Departmental records and where a licence had both a thinning and clearfell event the hectares to be thinned or clearfelled are shown in their respective years: