Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context

115. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to increase afforestation rates and diversification of forest plantations to reach its afforestation targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66275/25]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Government’s ambitious afforestation target of 8,000 hectares per year is set out in the Climate Action Plan. To help achieve this target, the Forestry Programme 2023-2027 provides for a wide range of generous financial incentives and planting options which encouraging landowners to plant trees, including a range of grants for different forest types, and a premium paid to farmers for 20 years and 15 years to non-farmers.

Afforestation is a voluntary land use choice for landowners and that there is a range of alternative options on offer for their land. Therefore, encouraging farmers and landowners to plant on their lands, which represents a permanent land use change, represents a significant commitment.

In 2025, and to help support all landowners in making this decision, my Department delivered a broad communications and engagement programme which included:

• A national advertising campaign, targeted SMS messaging, and social media,
• Engagement at national and specific events including the National Ploughing Championships and the Tullamore show,
• The provision of €1.4 million under the Open Call for Forestry Promotion supporting 42 stakeholder projects in 2023/24 and allocated €1.53 million to support 48 projects in 2025/26.
• Launching the Forest Type 3 ‘Forests on Public Lands’ initiative engaging 26 Local Authorities, state organisations and public bodies with land through one-to-one meetings tailoring solutions to their needs, and
• collaboration with Teagasc through open days, the Let’s Talk Trees information meetings, and other events.