Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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82. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has reviewed the take-up of new forestry planting schemes on offer from his Department; and his views on whether further measures are needed to achieve the ambitious targets which have been set. [38004/24]

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. This government has committed €1.3 billion of funding to the Programme in order to support our national ambition of 8,000 hectares of afforestation per year.

The Afforestation Scheme 2023-2027 offers landowners a choice of 12 Forest Types which cover a broad range of planting options. It provides generous incentives which cover the cost of establishment and fencing of the forest and an annual premium which will encourage landowners and farmers in particular to re-engage with forestry. Compared to preceding schemes, premia rates for Afforestation have now increased from between 46% to 66% , along with the introduction of a longer premia term of 20 years for farmers, compared to 15 years for non-farmers across most Forest Types. My Department has also launched a completely new Native Tree Area Scheme, which facilitates small scale planting of native tree areas without the need to first obtain an afforestation licence.

The Department can confirm that, in the year to date, there has been 1,246 hectares of new forests planted (this means planted and first payments issued).

In terms of licences approved under the new Forestry Programme, the area covered is 6,328 hectares, of which 348 hectares has been approved under the Native Tree Area Scheme, which provides for tree planting of up to one hectare - and up to one further hectare of riparian margin - without a licence.

Therefore, there is still over 5,200 hectares currently available for planting. This is expected to commence when the tree planting season gets under way again in early November.

In addition, there are 3,657 hectares on hand in the system being processed towards additional afforestation licences. Of this total, 2,720 hectares is associated with applications received since the commencement of the new Forestry Programme, which falls under the Farmers Charter commitment to issue forestry licences within six months in respect of applications that are screened out for Appropriate Assessment, and nine months for those that are screened in.

The Department is about to heavily promote new planting under a new Strategic Communications Plan in order to encourage uptake and planting.

I am committed to undertaking a mid term review of the current Forestry Programme in 2025. This will be conducted in consultation with all stakeholders. Depending on the outcome of this review, certain proposed changes may be required to be notified to the European Commission under State Aid Rules. Any resulting changes will be implemented before the end of the current Forestry Programme 2023-2027 term.

Afforestation is a voluntary land use choice for landowners and I know that building confidence among landowners of the benefits of forestry is key to increasing afforestation rates. In order to encourage uptake we have engaged in extensive promotion of the new forestry options and enhanced payments available, including an ongoing media campaign across all communication channels. Furthermore we are funding 42 stakeholder projects which will promote the Forestry Programme through a wide variety of approaches. These will engage with the wider community to highlight the benefits of forests to deliver multiple societal objectives, including economic, social and environmental.