Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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569. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the extent to which REAP applicants engage in the afforestation grant and forest premium scheme will be monitored by month during the pilot phase the next two years; if so, the details of same in tabular form; if a circular will be issued to the entire agricultural industry on a monthly basis in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35824/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Results-Based Environment Agri Pilot (REAP) Project is an ambitious, farmer-friendly environmental project designed to test the results based approach on a variety of farm types. The project will feed into the development of the next national agri-environment scheme. REAP is designed to focus on key learning objectives for participants and their advisors.

Any parcels selected for REAP may not be converted to forestry during the term of the contract. Nevertheless, it is important to note that REAP is not a whole-farm project and opportunities continue to exist for afforestation and for other Forestry Schemes on parcels which are not in REAP.

Section 14 of the REAP terms and conditions advise that monitoring and evaluation of the project shall be carried out. Participants in REAP shall facilitate the monitoring and evaluation process as required by the Department, including any necessary site-visits by the Department or its agents or providing feedback on the project as requested. This feedback will then be used to inform future projects and schemes.

The Department actively promotes afforestation as a land use and the current Forestry Programme 2014-2020, which commenced in 2015 and has been extended to the end of 2022 recently, consists of 11 separate measures to encourage the planting of forests by land owners with a focus on afforestation of private lands. The Forestry Programme 2014 -2020 is 100% exchequer funded and represents State investment in the forestry sector of some €482m over its lifetime.

The Department’s main Afforestation Scheme includes 12 different planting categories to promote a good species mix and covers 100% of the cost of establishing a forest. The scheme also pays an annual premium to the landowner of up to €680 per hectare payable each year for 15 years. This approach has resulted in over 28,000 hectares of forestry having been planted on private lands during the course of the Programme so far.