David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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494. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1056 of 20 March 2024, to outline the progress made by his Department in presenting the ash dieback action plan for Cabinet approval; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17899/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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A detailed Ash Dieback action plan is being prepared by Minister of State, Senator Pippa Hackett and is due to be submitted to Cabinet over the coming weeks. 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 has established 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 have established 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.

My Department continues to issue approvals under the Reconstitution scheme. Reconstitution Scheme approvals have issued for circa 2,000 ha in the past six months and applications for a further 1,500 ha are currently being processed demonstrating increased demand for this scheme.

I would urge ash forest owners who have not yet availed of the scheme to assist them in clearing their sites and replanting, to do so now. They will not be disadvantaged in relation to any further initiatives under the action plan.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As per the answer provided to Dáil question 931 on 9 April 2024, as regards the felling license application referred to (TFL00162718), my Department continues to engage proactively with the applicant and his representatives. This is a very complex location with a number of ecological concerns which must be carefully considered. There have been a number of changes made to the initial application on foot of environmental concerns raised by my Department and an updated Natura Impact Statement (NIS), Harvest Plan and other documents were submitted at the end of December 2023.

Upon receipt of these documents, they were issued to both National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) for consideration. Observations were received from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) on the 12/02/2024, while Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) issued their observations on the 01/03/2024.

The observations received from National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) are currently being considered. It is expected that the required Appropriate Assessment report and determination will be complete this week. The application in its totality, along with the ecological assessments, can then be considered and a final decision on the application made in the coming weeks

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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496. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Department can provide a table of afforestation applications received in January 2024 and every month since; if they could send it monthly excluding NTA and felling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17989/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Afforestation applications received by my Department are reviewed for completeness to ensure they are a valid application which can be progressed to licence decision stage. Incomplete applications can be received but are not counted as valid until they are reviewed for completeness and registered.

My Department publishes weekly statistics of all licences issued, including valid applications received, on our weekly Forestry Dashboard, which can be found here: www.gov.ie/en/collection/abb8d-2024-forestry-weekly-dashboard/

The table below provides details of valid applications received in the months requested:

Valid Afforestation applications received 2024:

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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497. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if, due to the collapse in the number of new afforestation enquiries that the industry is receiving from landowners and farmers, if he will now meet with stakeholders to make the necessary changes to the forestry programme to better suit Ireland and promote industry expansion. [17990/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The new Forestry Programme 2023-2027 aims to encourage a substantial increase in afforestation by offering attractive and diverse options for planting, especially for farmers. This government has committed €1.3 billion to the Programme in order to support our national ambition of 8,000 hectares of afforestation per year.

The new 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 premium rates ranging from between 46% to 66%, along with a longer premium term of 20 years for farmers, compared to 15 years for non-farmers, across most Forest Types.

An amendment to the Forestry Act 2014 removed the licensing requirement for the planting of native woodland in areas not greater than one hectare and to remove any barriers for such small-scale planting. This resulted in the launch of the new Native Tree Area (NTA) Scheme in 2023 to incentivise small-scale tree planting. This Scheme is aimed at re-engaging farmers with afforestation.

In order to encourage uptake of both the Afforestation and NTA Schemes, we have engaged in extensive promotion of the forestry options available including funding 42 stakeholder projects. These projects will promote the Forestry Programme through a wide variety of approaches and will engage with the wider community to highlight the benefits of forests as a source of biodiversity, enjoyment and inspiration.

A targeted media campaign was rolled out across all media and will continue throughout 2024. More than 1,000 people attended 20 Teagasc-led in-person meetings for the public on the new Afforestation Scheme throughout the country and Teagasc will continue to promote forestry. In addition, my officials are meeting regularly with professional foresters to provide information and any training needed.

Minister of State Hackett has established 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 an Afforestation Technical Working Group has been established which will meet regularly to address any issues with the Afforestation and NTA Schemes as they arise.

I recognise that planting at the scale required is a challenge but believe that it is in all our interests to work towards this target. It will require a concerted and united effort from all those interested in forestry across communities, public bodies, the forestry sector and farmers to make this a reality.

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 committed to working closely with all stakeholders to facilitate further momentum towards increased planting.