3% of applications to the previous afforestation programme under the last national forestry programme are now in ineligible areas in the new programme.
That’s according to Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue, who confirmed that figure in an answer to a parliamentary question from Labour Party TD Brendan Howlin.
According to the minister, all applicants who have applications on hand from the previous scheme have been written to and asked if they wish to opt into the new scheme.
There are 437 applications that are currently on hand that were received under the previous programme.
Where the applicant has opted in, the associated file is checked against the rules and regulations of the new programme by department officials, the minister said.
Minister McConalogue added that the new programme has a number of changes that will impact the area available for planting.
“An analysis has been carried out on the afforestation files on hand that may be affected by the new restrictions. Of the 437 applications, approximately 3% are in areas that will not now be eligible under the conditions of the scheme as they are within 1.5km of a curlew site,” the minister said.
He also said that 24% of those 437 applications are “entirely unaffected” by the changes.
The remainder, Minister McConalogue explained, will require further assessment regarding their eligibility as they are in areas where new restrictions may apply, and this may affect their eligibility.
These applications are either on peat soils, in high-nature-value areas, in breeding wader areas, or a combination of these, the minister said.
In a further question, Howlin asked the minister if the department is accommodating all forestry stakeholder groups equally in terms of facilitating meetings.
In response, the minister said: “I am satisfied that members of all relevant stakeholders groups have met with my department through the important work of Project Woodland and contributed equally to the development of the Forestry Programme 2023 to 2027.”
He also said that Minister of State for land use and biodiversity Pippa Hackett will be forming a new Forestry Programme Consultative Committee (FPCC) in the coming weeks.
The members of this committee will be selected from a “broad range of relevant stakeholders, acknowledging that it is essential that on-going stakeholder engagement is continued to ensure a successful outcome for the Forestry Strategy implementation plan and the Forestry Programme 2023-2027”.