The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 20 May, 2016

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Agriculture

Period 1 Jan, 2016 to 30 Apr, 2016

Specific Details Forestry meeting with industry representatives (Ad Hoc Group)

Intended results To develop a forest sector position on forestry in Hen Harrier SPA’s to input into Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan. To address barriers to planting marginal land that has the productive capacity to grow commercial timber through the development of the draft Land Types for Afforestation document. To secure funding for the reconstitution of private forest damaged by the Storm Darwin. To address planning permission and security bonds issues that are impeding the constructing new forest road entrances and impeding the mobilisation of the private forest sector by introducing an additional grant for new forest road entrances and developing a new consent system for Forest Road applications.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Michael Fleming, IFA Farm Forestry Chairman and Geraldine O'Sullivan, IFA Farm Forestry 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.

Meeting (2-5)

Forestry Regulation 2016, Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan, Environmental Requirements for Afforestation, Land Types for Afforestation and Group Certification

Email (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.

Paul Dillon Assistant Secretary (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)