Healy-Rae welcomes budget boost and 'dedicated' funding for farm safety initiatives
Minister of State, Michael Healy-Rae, today (Wednesday, October 8) said new measures in Budget 2026 will deliver a €5 million budget boost for Forestry in Ireland which in turn will "increase total investment in the area to €93 million".
The Minister of State with responsibility for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture said the total budget for forestry will cover a Forestry Reconstitution Scheme for those affected by windblown sites - subject to Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation approval.
Minister Healy-Rae added: "This will allow us to continue to build on the huge success of the Forestry Programme in 2025 which has nearly doubled its planting rates since 2024.
“This investment represents the commitment by government to the sector and a recognition of the critical role of forestry in providing sustainable raw materials for our timber industry, billions to the economy and thousands of jobs across rural Ireland.
"Forests are essential to the maintenance of biodiversity that help to support our climate goals by removing CO2 from the atmosphere, as well as being a significant part of our infrastructure providing recreational spaces for our communities, supporting our health and well-being."
Budget 2026
According to the minister forestry land will now be eligible for the Farm Restructuring (CGT) relief which was extended by four years in Budget 2026.
Minister Healy-Rae also said he was delighted to have secured funding of €3 million for farm safety, health and wellbeing initiatives in the budget.
“This dedicated funding is testimony to this government’s commitment to supporting the safety, health and wellbeing of our farming community and will enable my department to continue existing initiatives and to develop new evidence-led initiatives to improve farm safety and support the health and wellbeing of our farming community.
"It will also enable my department to work with stakeholders to deliver initiatives which make a real difference to the lives of farmers and the wider farming community," he added.
In addition to the forestry and farm safety budget allocations Minister Healy-Rae's department has also received a budget of €8.8 million for horticulture in 2026.
"Significant progress has been made in meeting the target to grow the horticulture sector as set out in the National Strategy for Horticulture 2023 – 2027.
"I hope that growers will take advantage of these supports to continue that growth and further develop their businesses and provide fresh, local, Irish produce for us to eat," the minister added.
