Forestry Sector

2245. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider a payment plan/scheme for broadleaf plantations beyond the 20-year mark, to make broadleaf plantations more financially viable for farmers in forestry, given there is currently only a 20-year payment for broadleaf planting with no commercial payout at the end of this time period and farmers are le…

2246. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on the reconstitution ash dieback scheme; of the €230million set aside to the ash dieback reconstitution scheme, the amount that has been paid out to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25135/26]

2247. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the reconstitution ash dieback scheme 2023-2027 will be extended beyond the 2027 deadline (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25136/26]

2248. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine with regard to fallen forests as a result of storm Éowyn, which are rotten, cannot be harvested and where native trees have since sprouted, if an environmental scheme can be accessed for same that would allow the land to be left as it is; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25137/26]

178. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment when he will introduce legislation to put corridors through forestry on a statutory footing and ensure that critical infrastructure is protected at all times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23487/26]

221. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way the stakeholders for participation in the Mid-Term Review of the Forestry Programme 2023-2027 were selected. [22680/26]

222. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine which environmental and social groups were represented as stakeholders in the Mid-Term Review of the Forestry Programme 2023-2027 were selected. [22681/26]

223. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether there were any individuals or groups denied participation as stakeholders in the Mid-Term Review of the Forestry Programme 2023-2027; and if so, the basis. [22682/26]

224. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether there was a public consultation process for the Mid-Term Review of the Forestry Programme 2023-2027; and if not, the reason. [22683/26]

225. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if all stakeholder submissions to the Mid-Term Review of the Forestry Programme 2023-2027 will be published. [22684/26]

226. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether the Mid-Term Review of the Forestry Programme 2023–2027 identified any failure to meet afforestation targets since the programme commenced in September 2023; and if so, the corrective measures being implemented. [22685/26]

227. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current annual afforestation rate compared with the Government’s national forestry targets; and whether the measures announced in the Mid-Term Review of the Forestry Programme 2023-2027 will be sufficient to close the gap. [22686/26]

228. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the Mid-Term Review of the Forestry Programme 2023-2027 resulted primarily in incremental scheme changes rather than structural reforms to address the continuing decline in new forestry planting. [22687/26]

229. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine how the additional €3.5 million allocated for forestry in 2026 under the Mid-Term Review will be distributed across forestry schemes, and whether this level of funding is sufficient to address sector concerns. [22688/26]

230. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether any cost–benefit analysis was undertaken prior to increasing grant rates for fencing, forest roads and reforestation supports. [22689/26]

231. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department considered more substantial increases in grant supports in light of rising construction, labour and materials costs in the forestry sector. [22692/26]

232. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications received under the new Silvoarable and Forest Gardening agroforestry pilot schemes; and whether participation to date meets Department expectations. [22693/26]

233. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the metrics that will be used to evaluate the success of the new Silvoarable and Forest Gardening agroforestry pilot schemes; and whether they will lead to permanent scheme design changes. [22694/26]

234. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has assessed the likely uptake of the newly introduced Alluvial Woodland planting option, particularly in relation to biodiversity and floodplain restoration. [22695/26]

235. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has assessed the extent to which administrative delays continue to affect forestry licensing and scheme approvals. [22696/26]

236. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the proposed mapping layer identifying FT2 eligible lands will be made available to the sector and how delays in its publication may impact scheme uptake. [22697/26]

237. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has estimated the amount of time that will be saved by introducing pre-application discussions for the native woodland conservation scheme; and whether this will reduce application rejection rates. [22698/26]

238. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of potential applicants excluded from forestry schemes under the previous farmer definition; and whether the change to the definition was made in response to low participation rates. [22699/26]

239. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether the removal of the four-year BISS-BPS requirement will significantly increase the number of eligible forestry applicants. [22700/26]

240. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has analysed whether forestry supports remain competitive with other agricultural schemes in terms of farmer income. [22701/26]