How much land has been licensed for afforestation since 2023?
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has outlined the number of forestry licences issued since 2023.
The minister was responding to a parliamentary question from Sinn Féin TD for Cavan - Monaghan, Matt Carthy.
The number of hectares of land newly licensed for afforestation in the years 2023 to date, by quarter, in tabular form is set out below.
| Year | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Yearly Total |
| 2023 | 86 | 47 | 47 | 610.8 | 789 |
| 2024 | 945 | 1,173 | 1,573 | 1,155 | 4,844 |
| 2025 | 1,046 | 432 to date |
The number of felling licences issued in the years 2023 to date, by type, by quarter, in tabular form is set out below.
| Year | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Yearly Total |
| 2023 | 786 | 789 | 733 | 530 | 2,838 |
| 2024 | 496 | 452 | 631 | 392 | 1,971 |
| 2025 | 284 | 155 to date |
Below is the number of afforestation licences issued in the years 2023 - 2025.
| Year | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Yearly Total |
| 2023 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 75 | 88 |
| 2024 | 123 | 134 | 179 | 159 | 595 |
| 2025 | 132 | 57 to date |
Below is the number of roads licenses issued in the years 2023 - 2025.
| Year | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Yearly Total |
| 2023 | 22 | 50 | 86 | 85 | 243 |
| 2024 | 253 | 207 | 223 | 163 | 846 |
| 2025 | 142 | 85 to date |
According to Minister Heydon, there are currently an additional 4,490 hectares approved and ready for planting.
Minister Heydon said: "The Minister of State, Michael Healy Rae will make contact with these landowners shortly by letter and encourage them to commence planting as soon as possible. This will be followed up by phone calls to a selection of licence holders.
"This is part of a comprehensive communications plan to promote the forestry options available to land owners under the very attractive forestry programme 23 - 27 using all channels of communication," he added.
