Questions

459. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the key changes he will propose for the next forestry programme to improve current planting levels. [66433/26]

460. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of afforestation hectares submitted to his Department each year from 2010 to 2025 and to date in 2026; and the actual hectares planted each year. [66429/26]

462. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the governance arrangements that are in place to ensure that persons who report alleged illegal forestry, and persons affected by such investigations, have access to the procedures governing the receipt, assessment, investigation and determination of Alleged Illegal Forestry (AIF) cases; whether the Alleged Illegal Forestry Section operat…

464. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the gross profit margin before interest and tax used in calculating the afforestation grant rate for the forestry programme 2023 to 2027. [66618/26]

465. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the charge rate for approved foresters per day used in calculating the afforestation grant rate for the forestry programme 2023 to 2027. [66616/26]

466. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the breakdown of the fixed overheads used in calculating the afforestation grant rate for the Forestry Programme 2023 to 2027. [66615/26]

467. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine In the COFORD report of 2022 , Economic Activity and employment levels in the Irish Forest Sector; what did the report state average labour cost would need to increase by if contractors were not to be lost to the construction or other sectors. [66613/26]

468. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine In the COFORD report of 2022 , Economic Activity and employment levels in the Irish Forest Sector, for afforestation, the forester and office inputs in days, per hectare planted. [66612/26]

982. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to ensure road repair budgets are provided by the Department of Transport when issuing felling licences under the Single Consent System in County Clare and throughout the State so that roads damaged in felling and transportation operations can be promptly repaired. [64829/26]

998. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the governance arrangements are in place to ensure that appellants before the Forestry Appeals Committee have access to the procedures governing the conduct of their appeals, particularly while the FAC’s published Procedures are stated to be “currently being updated". [65461/26]

37. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress to date in reviewing forestry setbacks and corridors in relation to the safeguarding of the electricity and energy networks, the timeline for the publication and implementation of new regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52187/26]

654. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason work on a forestry boundary (details supplied) has not been carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49259/26]

426. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current situation with respect to the maintenance of roadways which provide access to forestry as well as to private dwellings; who maintains responsibility for the resurfacing of such roads; if such roads can be upgraded to a public road standard for public vehicle use or must they remain as a forest road suitable for forestry oper…

428. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 326 of 10 April 2025, and the commitments made to review forestry setbacks and corridors in relation to the safeguarding of the electrical network, the reason replanting of forestry is being allowed at present, that will clearly not conform with the new regulations and also taking into account that …

151. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide details of all felling licence applications, approvals or active licences relating to Curragh Wood, Midleton, County Cork, from 2024 to date in 2026; to include the licence reference number, applicant, date of application, date of decision, area covered, proposed felling type, species composition, replanting plan, licence condi…

152. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the ecological, hydrological, appropriate assessment or EIA screening that was carried out in respect of proposed felling at Curragh Wood, Midleton, County Cork; the consideration that was given to the river Leamlara, mixed woodland habitat, protected species, recreational use and long-established woodland characteristics; and if he will …

153. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department will arrange an inspection or review of any proposed felling operations at Curragh Wood, Midleton, County Cork, before works commence, in view of local concerns about biodiversity, water quality, public amenity and the recreational value of the woodland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46234/26]

154. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether alternatives to clear-felling, including selective thinning, continuous-cover forestry, phased felling, retention of mixed/native woodland and enhanced riparian buffers, were assessed in respect of any felling licence at Curragh Wood, Midleton, County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46235/26]

728. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for a breakdown of the number of applicants who are in receipt of forestry payments; the number who receive an annual payment under €5,000; the number who receive a payment between €5,000 and €10,000; the number who receive a payment between €10,000 and €20,000; the number who receive a payment between €20,000 and €50,000; and the number…

729. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total annual spend in forestry payments to farmers for the years 2021-2025. [45133/26]

756. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a specific assessment, review, risk analysis or research has been undertaken since 2020 regarding the economic, biodiversity, climate resilience, storm resilience or forest health risks associated with the concentration of Sitka spruce within the State forestry estate; and if he will provide the title, date and author of each such asse…

757. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the proportion of the State forestry estate comprised of Sitka spruce in each of the years from 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; the projected proportion in 2030, 2040 and 2050 under current forestry plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45880/26]

758. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether any scenario modelling, stress testing or contingency planning has been undertaken regarding the potential impact of a major pest outbreak, disease event, storm event or climate-related disruption affecting Sitka spruce within the State forestry estate; whether the economic, timber supply, biodiversity and carbon sequestration imp…

759. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of hectares within the State forestry estate comprised of mixed-species forestry stands, by species composition bands of less than 25%, 25% to 50%, 50% to 75%, and greater than 75% dominance by a single species; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45882/26]

760. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether an assessment has been undertaken of the storm, pest, disease or climate resilience risks associated with the 141,000 hectares of the State forestry estate in which Sitka spruce represents greater than 95% of total tree composition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45883/26]