Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 May 2023
520. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will publish the forestry programme proposal that was recently submitted to the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22426/23]
View answer521. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he expects the forestry programme 2023-2027 to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22427/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 520 and 521 together.
The new and ambitious €1.3bn Forestry Programme 2023-2027 will replace the previous Forestry Programme of 2014-2020 (extended to 2022) which expired at the end of 2022.
The Forestry Programme 2023 - 2027 is subject to State Aid approval from the EU Commission and is also subject to an ongoing Strategic Environmental Assessment/Appropriate Assessment (SEA/AA) process, which is a critical step in the process of securing State Aid approval.
We have been engaging proactively and intensively with the Commission over the last few months. Once EU Commission approval has been received, we will be in a position to launch the new Programme, subject to finalisation of the Strategic Environmental Assessment. On completion of this State Aid process, the decision letter and appropriate documentation will be published by the Commission on their website within the State Aid register.
Not all schemes under the Programme require state aid approval under the Guidelines and on 24th April, under the Agricultural Block Exemption Regulation, my Department opened two schemes for applications, the Forest Roads Scheme and the Innovative Forest Technology Scheme – Module 2 Investment Aid for the Development of the Forest Tree Nursery Sector.
In recognition of the need for planting activity to continue, and pending the launch of the new Programme, my Department engaged with the Commission last December to secure an interim solution which has led to the introduction of an Interim Afforestation Scheme (Via General De Minimis), an Interim Forest Road Scheme (via General De Minimis) and an interim Ash Dieback Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme. This ensured that those with valid licence approvals issued before the end of 2022, could avail of the current planting season under the higher grant and premium rates proposed to be paid under the new Programme.
As you may be aware, there are 797 approved afforestation licences with 5,819 ha ready for planting and to date over 1,638ha hectares have been approved for planting under the Interim De Minimis scheme. In addition 34,332 m have been approved under the interim Forest Road Scheme, while 69 Ha has been approved under the interim RUS scheme.
