Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 March 2026
245. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the assessment that has been carried out by his Department regarding the long-term resilience of Ireland's current forestry model which is heavily reliant on monoculture plantations, in the context of increasing storm frequency and climate change. [22707/26]
View answer248. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has assessed the risk of increased wildfire incidence in Irish forests due to climate change; and whether the current programme design sufficiently addresses this risk [22710/26]
View answer249. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether the climate resilient reforestation scheme includes provisions to encourage mixed species planting rather than replanting with the same species following storm damage or disease outbreaks. [22717/26]
View answer251. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the lessons that were drawn from recent storms in relation to forestry windthrow; and whether his Department has revised planting guidance or site selection criteria accordingly. [22719/26]
View answer258. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has conducted modelling to determine the way storm damage, wildfire risk and infrastructure safety measures may impact the long-term viability of the national forestry strategy. [22726/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 245, 248, 249, 251 and 258 together.
In preparing Irelands Forest Strategy 2023-2030 my Department carried out extensive consultation to find out what we as a nation want from our trees. Having a future forest estate resilient to climate change was a key part of discussions.
The shared national Vision for Trees Woods and Forests calls for the right trees in the right places for the right reasons with the right management – supporting a sustainable and thriving economy and society and a healthy environment. Irelands Forest Strategy 2023-2030, with its 87 actions, outlines how we make that Vision a reality. The Forestry Programme 2023-2027 is key to implementing much of this strategy.
The afforestation scheme within the Forestry Programme includes a diverse range of twelve forest types. There is no conifer monoculture option. The forest types available include native woodland forests, agroforestry and conifer forests with a 20% broadleaf component. The percentage of broadleaves in new forests created during 2023 was 54%, which was up from 43% in the previous year. This is the first time that proportion of broadleaves planted exceeded conifer tree planting and demonstrates the increasing diversity within the national forest estate.
The Climate Resilient Reforestation scheme assist eligible landowners in converting their even aged conifer forest to native woodland or a continuous cover mixed conifer and broadleaved woodland after clearfell. The scheme sets out to increase the climate resilience of the national forest estate by expanding the proportion of forest land managed under permanent forest cover using close to nature silviculture.
My Department issues wildfire notices, based on risk factors, to relevant stakeholders during the high-risk period of March to June. In relation to forest road support under the Forestry Programme, water storage ponds and dams constructed close to forest road infrastructure provide open water sources available for firefighting and are supported under the Special Constructions Works measure. Larger strategic storage features located away from surface flight obstructions can accommodate aerial firefighting in high-risk areas, subject to design criteria and approval.
I recently announced a Reconstitution scheme for windblow to provide financial aid to private landowners whose plantations were damaged by storm force winds that occurred during Storms Darragh and Éowyn. It will provide a grant to forest owners for replanting with either conifer or broadleaf species, or a mixture of both. A suite of forest types are available under this scheme. The grant rates offered will reflect the replanting species and will mirror the planting grant rates paid through my Department’s Afforestation Scheme.
Registered Foresters, when drawing up a replanting plan will consider, amongst other things, windthrow risk, soil, species slope aspect and elevation. To assist Registered Foresters during the site assessment stage, COFORD provide a useful windthrow risk modeller. This can be used by Registered Foresters when deciding on the appropriate plan for a specific site. Foresters will also consider disease risk in selecting species. My Department has also funded projects examining species suitability under future climate change scenarios, which is useful to Registered foresters today in making species selections.
I can confirm that both the Climate Resilient Reforestation Scheme and the Reconstitution scheme for windblow include provisions to encourage mixed species planting rather than replanting with the same species following storm damage. The tree species proposed for planting should be chosen according to the suitability of the species to the site and soil.
