Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 September 2026
132. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the gross profit margin before interest and tax used in calculating the forest road grant rate for the forestry programme 2023 to 2027. [68984/26]
View answer133. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the fixed overheads used in calculating the forest road grant rate for the forestry programme 2023 to 2027. [68983/26]
View answer134. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the charge rate for approved foresters per day used in calculating the forest road grant rate for the forestry programme 2023 to 2027. [68982/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 132, 133 and 134 together.
My Department commissioned a Cost Benefit Analysis on the Forestry Creation and Roads element of the Forestry Programme 2023-2027. This analysis considered the costs and benefits of the proposals and took account of a variety of factors, not all of which could be monetised, including water quality and regulation, landscape, and biodiversity, amongst others. The overall conclusions were positive and confirm that spending on forest roads under the Forestry Programme represent value for money to the Exchequer.
The Forest Road Scheme provides grants to forest owners to facilitate the construction of new forest roads. It provides opportunities for forest owners to create and improve access to forests to facilitate maintenance, recreation, harvesting of timber and the monitoring of and protection of forests. The current Forest Road Scheme caters for optimal road provision, with a grant aid allowance of 25 linear metres of road allocated per hectare of forest served.
Furthermore, Forest Roads were also considered during the Mid-Term Review of the Forestry Programme, which was published in March 2026. This provided for a 20% increase in the grant rate per linear metre with aid now to be applied at a rate of €66 per linear metre constructed to harvesting road standard.
For forest owners whose roads may require an entrance from a public road or the material widening of an Existing Entrance, my Department offers an additional Engineering Design Support grant. This Engineering Support Grant was also increased from €1,000 to €1,500 during the Mid-Term Review.
It is important to note that the Forestry Programme operates pursuant to State Aid approval. My Department, as the granting Authority in this instance, must ensure that any State Aid provided is proportionate and does not subsidise the costs of an activity or undertaking that would have incurred in any instance and must not compensate for the normal business risk of an economic activity.
I am confident the supports provided for forest roads is sufficient for forest owners to access their forests and to assist in their selected form of forest management.
