Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1019. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider developing a national initiative in view of the success of a recent free trees initiative by a local authority (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12508/24]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1020. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider in conjunction with local authorities and other relevant stakeholders (details supplied) the establishment of a nationwide free trees initiative, in view of the success of a recent frees trees initiative by Cork City Council during Tree Week 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12509/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1019 and 1020 together.

My Department has already established an ambitious national Strategy and secured the largest investment in tree planting in the history of the State. It does not provide additional funding for free trees or foresee another national initiative outside of the State Aid approved Forestry Programme.

Extensive work has been undertaken to date in the development of a new national future for forestry in Ireland. Ireland has now for the first time a Shared National Vision for Trees, Woods and Forests in Ireland until 2050 which was informed by a series of comprehensive public consultation and engagements. This vision in turn has informed the development of our new Forestry Strategy for Ireland, which was published in September last year. The new €1.3 billion funded Forestry Programme 2023-2027 is the means by which we implement this Forest Strategy to 2030.

Recent changes to State Aid rules have resulted in the fact that public bodies, including County Councils, may now avail of grants and premia for all forest types, subject to meeting the conditions of the Scheme. Forest Type 3 ‘Forests on Public Lands’ has been specifically created to encourage the planting of new native woodlands on suitable publicly owned bare land. In addition to the establishment grant and fencing grant and premia that are offered for all 12 Forest Types, Forest Type 3 offers payments for Trails, Seats and Signage and Forest Playground Equipment. A Derelict Site Grant can also be availed of support specific operations necessitated by the site’s status as a former landfill or brownfield site.

The annual broadleaf target for this Programme has also increased from 30% to 50% of total annual planting. This is reflected in a substantial increase of 66% in premium rates for the establishment of a native forest with €1,103 per hectare available to plant native forests and €1,142 per hectare payable for native forests for water over a period of 15 or 20 years.

In addition, the programme contains a new Native Tree Area Scheme, which builds on a recent amendment to the Forestry Act 2014 that removed the licensing requirement for the planting of native woodland in areas not greater than one hectare. This aims to increase and encourage interest in small-scale planting and offers premiums of up to €2,284 for 10 years.

The “Call for Proposals for Forestry Promotion Projects” is also a funding mechanism contained within the Programme, designed to encourage farmers and other landowners to plant and to raise the profile of forestry as a public good and a commercially viable enterprise. The Department invites applications for funding for various projects and approaches, to help support and highlight the multiple benefits of Forestry. While applications for the 2023/2024 period have now closed, new calls will open periodically over the duration of the programme. To date 42 projects have been selected to receive €1.6 million in funding to promote forestry through a variety of approaches. This call and associated funding have been brought to the attention of the project in question.

Further details of the schemes available under the new Forestry Programme 2023 – 2027 are also available on my Departments website www.gov.ie/en/publication/e384e-forestry-grants-and-schemes/