Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The new Forestry Programme 2023 - 2027 was launched on 6th September 2023, following a period of comprehensive engagement and public consultation in which the organisation named actively participated.

Since the launch of the Programme, my colleague Minister Hackett met with the organisation named on 6th December 2023.

The named organisation is also represented on Minister Hackett's recently formed Forest Strategy Consultative Committee (FSCC), which is due to meet for the first time in Q1 2024. The FSCC members were selected from a broad range of relevant stakeholders, acknowledging that it is essential that on-going stakeholder engagement is continued to ensure a successful outcome for the Forest Strategy Implementation Plan and the Forestry Programme 2023-2027.

The Afforestation Technical Working Group, which is a sub-group of the FSCC, met for the first time last week. There are equal members of my Department's staff and forestry stakeholders, who are involved in delivering the afforestation scheme, in this working group. The named organisation is also represented on this working group.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 280 and 282 together.

The ambitious €1.3bn funded Forestry Programme 2023-2027 includes an annual afforestation target of 8,000ha and a number of attractive forest establishment options that will help to support this ambition.

The Afforestation Scheme offers landowners a choice of 12 Forest Types which cover a broad range of planting options including Native Woodland, Continuous Cover Forestry and Emergent Forests. It provides generous incentives to farmers in particular, to re-engage with forestry. These include increases in premia rates ranging from between 46% to 66%, along with a longer premia term of 20 years for farmers, compared to 15 years for non-farmers, across most Forest Types.

To date in 2024 my Department has received 59 fully complete afforestation applications, with 59 afforestation licences also being approved in the same period.

Afforestation is a voluntary land use choice for landowners and building confidence among landowners of the benefits of forestry will be key to increasing afforestation rates on recent low trends. I am confident that the attractive and increased rates under the new Programme, coupled with 20 year premiums for farmers, will encourage strong uptake of these afforestation options.