A total of 895ha of land has been planted in forestry so far this year, with a further 500ha currently being established, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Pippa Hackett told the Seanad on Thursday.

The State has a target of afforesting 8,000ha of land by the end of the year, but recent figures show that the sector is only 11% of the way to meeting its target.

Minister Hackett said that although the new forestry programme has not got the green light from the European Commission, 261 applications have been approved under Government’s interim programme and 700ha has been planted so far under this option.

Another 195ha has been planted under last year’s forestry programme in 2023.

Interim programme

The interim programme was established by Government to allow landowners whose planting licenses were approved in 2022 to plant before the Commission approves the full programme for 2023 onwards.

“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,” the minister said.

“To date in 2023, a total of 261 applications have been approved under the interim afforestation scheme, representing more than 1,000ha.

“Of the 1,583ha approved in 2023 for afforestation under the interim scheme, over 700ha of planting has been completed and planting has commenced on a further area in excess of 500ha.

“In addition, we have, in the first quarter of this year, paid for the planting of 195ha carried out under the previous forestry programme, which will also be included in the 2023 planting figures.”

Target at risk

The minister was criticised by independent Senator Victor Boyhan, who warned that the State’s planting target would be missed again in 2023.

“The reality today, and I will make one prediction, is that the target for planting 8,000ha of new forestry this year and every year certainly will not happen this year, and I will tell the Minister of State why,” the Senator said.

“There is a failure to hit the planning targets. It threatens the future supplies of our timber.”

Minister Hackett was unable to give the Seanad the date the new programme was submitted to Brussels, but said it was sent over “recently”.

The finalising of the plan now lies with the Commission, she stated.

“This is not something I or my Department are in control of. It really is in the hands of the Commission, but we are satisfied that we have made the best possible submission and have addressed their concerns.”

Senator Boyhan requested that Minister Hackett, who is responsible for forestry, meet with the Social, Economic Environmental Forestry Association (SEEFA) on the forestry crisis.