Healy Rae: New forestry planting 'up 130%' year on year
New forestry planting since January is "up 130% on what it was at the same time last year" according to Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Michael Healy-Rae.
The minister today (Friday, April 11) welcome the "increased new forestry planting" which he said was currently estimated at 627 hectares.
He added: "In addition, there are more than 6,000 hectares shovel ready, that is, approved and not yet planted.
"The Forestry Programme (2023-27) is the best-funded ever, and I really want to encourage those landowners with approvals to consider proceeding with planting, so that they can benefit from the new and very attractive grants and premiums for a period of up to 20 years.
"To date in 2025, €43 million has been paid in grants and premiums to forest owners.”
According to the DAFM, there are currently over 24,000 forest owners, including 19,500 farmers, who have planted trees in Ireland.
It has also advised that there are 12 different forest types, in addition to the small-scale Native Tree Area Scheme, available under the Forestry Programme 2023-27.
However according to the CEO of a software company that provides solutions to the global forest industry in over 40 countries, forestry in Ireland is “over-regulated”.
Speaking at the RDS Finding Common Ground festival in Dublin yesterday (Thursday, April 10) Enda Keane, CEO of Treemetrics Ltd, told the audience that he believes that for the last 10 years there had been “own goals after own goals with the way the country has been regulated”.
Today Minister Healy-Rae said he "must acknowledge that the afforestation scheme is demand-led, and uptake has not met targets in recent years".
He added: "I am committed to promoting what is a valuable land-use option in every way I can.
"I also want to acknowledge the impact that Storm Éowyn, with 24,000 hectares of fallen trees, might have on confidence in tree planting in the short term.
"However, I acted quickly in establishing the Forest Windblow Taskforce, and I am working with stakeholders and forestry owners to deal with this new challenge. I am determined to provide the best outcomes for forest owners and for the industry in these circumstances.”
