Forestry premiums worth €24m paid to more than 7,000 owners
Forestry premiums worth €24.2 million have been issued to over 7,000 forest owners, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has said.
The tax-free premiums are issued to forest owners who applied for their payments through the department's online Agfood portal.
The premiums were paid in last week's bulk payment run, the department said.
Forest owners who have not submitted their online applications yet can still apply online for their forestry premiums through Agfood.
This facility will remain open during the whole year, and the department will continue to process on-line applications for 2025 forest premiums as they are received, with payments issuing on a weekly basis.
The grants available under the the Afforestation Scheme cover the cost of establishing the forest plantation and the payment of an annual forestry premium of up to €1,142/ha for periods of up to 20 years.
Commenting on the issuing of payments, Minister of State for land use and biodiversity Pippa Hackett said: "I very much welcome this significant payment to forest owners. Over 19,500 farmers are already enjoying the benefits that forestry brings to their farm enterprise.
"I would strongly encourage farmers who might be thinking about planting trees to speak to neighbours who have already done so, and to get in touch with a registered forester or a Teagasc forestry adviser.
"The current Forestry Programme pays at the highest payment rates ever available to forest owners, and there is now an unprecedented range of planting options available, from small scale native woodlands, to agroforestry, to continuous cover forestry, among many other forest types," Minister Hackett said.
"There are valid afforestation licences currently available to plant more than 5,000ha and over 3,400 felling licences were approved in 2024, and I am confident that licensing figures will continue to improve throughout 2025," Minister Hackett added.
In other forestry-related news, a member of the Seanad has called for the establishment of a national forestry authority to "help restore farmers' and foresters' confidence in the industry".
Senator Victor Boyhan said that the formation of a new government “presents a new opportunity” which he said “needs to be seized”.
He added: "At the moment, we have Coillte, a semi-state, and the private sector working at a different pace and different supports to various degrees of success.
“Some countries have state authorities, such as the US which has the Forest Service. A National Forestry Authority could also be responsible for regulations ensuring fair competition," Senator Boyhan said.
