Relevant Matter
Public policy or programme
Public Policy Area
Agriculture
Period
1 May, 2025 to 31 Aug, 2025
Specific Details
Forestry Programme 2023-2027
Intended results
To acknowledge the work that Minister Healy-Rae and the department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine have carried out since storm Éowyn last January
To highlight that Ireland is not reaching its planting targets of 8,000 ha of afforestation per annum. The forestry licence dashboard figures as of the 23rd May 2025 show that only 127 ha of afforestation has been licenced. This is down from 526 ha for the same period in 2024.
To seek the opportunity to meet with Minister Healy-Rae at his earliest convenience to discuss the challenges the forestry industry is facing in the current Forestry Programme 2023 - 2027.
To discuss the urgency for the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine to support the private forestry sector by providing an option for private forest landowners to be paid for their timber by metre squared similar to Coillte timber sales.
Forestry Programme 2023-2027
That the Forestry Programme 2023-2027 set back areas and regulations implemented in recent years regarding farm forestry buffer zones and needs to be reviewed.
That from IFA research it appears Deadwood plays a vital role in the functioning of river ecosystems by helping to retain water and sediments. Trapping and facilitating the breakdown of organic matter into food for aquatic invertebrates, diversifying channels by creating pools, falls and riffles and improving physical habitat structure for fish and invertebrates.
To emphasise that, for this reason and many others such as trees provide shading preventing water temperatures rising, a flooding barrier etc IFA made a submission for alteration of the current Forestry Programme as part of the ‘mid-term review' to develop a workable Forestry Programme.
To express disappointment that the findings from the Independent Review of Support For Farmers Impacted By Ash Dieback carried out by the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine and published in Autumn 2023 were not taken into consideration.
The Climate Action Performance Payment Scheme (CAPP)
Ash Dieback scheme does not compensate the costs associated with the safe removal of the diseased trees which is going to have a major impact on participation in the scheme. The CAPP scheme provides farmers with twelve months for site clearance from the date of approval, with a total period of 18 months from approval to replant. In the case of commercial plantations there is a two-year period to replant.
To seek an amendment to the CAPP scheme to allow a two-year period for replanting in line with commercial plantations.
To advise that the CAPP payment should be extended for a further 15 years.
Amendment to State Aid Guidelines to Support Forestry
That the guidelines for State Aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors and in rural areas (2022/C 485/01) prevent Member States from providing compensation and annual premium per hectare on forests that need to be restored as a result of damage to forests from plant pests and infestation by invasive alien species. Farmers whose ash woodlands have been devastated by ash dieback disease receive no compensation for loss of timber earnings or for the income foregone as a result of the disease.
That farmers with forestry that is affected by the disease are looking for equity and fairness with agricultural activities under State Aid guidelines.
The policy deficiency means that the costs of outbreaks are borne almost entirely by producers who cannot receive compensation from the Government. This needs to be amended.
That, under item 2.1.3. 'Aid for the prevention and restoration of damage to forests' IFA is seeking the inclusion of aid in the form of compensation and annual premium per hectare may be granted to cover the costs of income foregone and maintenance, including early and late cleanings, for a maximum period determined by the Member State.
Farm Forestry and CAT/Stamp Duty Relief
That, If any percentage of the farm is dedicated to forestry, it should be defined as agricultural land and the Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) Agricultural Relief applied to the whole farm. Farm forestry is treated in a similar manner in relation to the Consanguinity and Young Trained Farmers Stamp Duty Reliefs as it is with CAT Agricultural Relief, where it is defined as agricultural land.
That, where a non-farmer buys forestry, the normal commercial rate of stamp duty should apply to the full value of land and timber. This is required to ensure forestry remains primarily in the hands of genuine farmers
National Forestry Insurance Scheme
To highlight that there is a need for a National Forestry Insurance Scheme as plantations over 20 years old have no insurance cover. The Scheme would have to mirror the Tillage Stakeholder group which is DAFM led. Capacity in the market would need to be assessed as taking on a vulnerable market would cause a price point fluctuation worldwide.
To stress that to make a National Forestry Insurance Scheme feasible it would have to be mandatory for all forest owners to pay into it.
To suggest the allocation of funding to establish a Forestry Development Agency to drive the industry, such as exists in other natural resource sectors.
To emphasise that the establishment of this Agency is critical to achieving the afforestation targets. It would be charged with optimising the performance of the Irish forest industry by providing a certification body, technical expertise, business support, international trading provision, funding, training and promoting responsible environmental practice.
Agro-forestry payment
To question the Minister if the Agro-forestry payment will be increased to 20 years.
ESB/Eirgrid
To request a meeting with the Minister to give him a full briefing on IFA ESB plans.
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Francie Gorman IFA President, Padraig Stapleton IFA Forestry Chair, Amy Mulchrone IFA Policy Executive
Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?)
No
Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign?
No
Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client?
No
Lobbying activity
The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.
Informal communication (2-5)
Designated public officials lobbied
The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them.
As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.
Barry Delany
Director (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Jackie Healy-Rae
Special Advisor (Department of Agriculture and the Marine)
Michael Healy-Rae
Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)