Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1125. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action his Department intends to take in relation to carbon credits for forestry owners (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37102/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Climate Action Plan 2021 includes a commitment for the Government to develop an enabling framework to facilitate the development of a carbon farming initiative in Ireland.

To address this commitment, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has convened a Carbon Farming Working Group. This group is drawing on expertise from across semi-state and governmental Departments to explore opportunities for the development of practices which encourage the removal of carbon in line with developments at EU level.

This work will look at ways to encourage reductions in emissions and at the same time develop a potential alternative source of income for landowners and foresters. These initiatives may be similar to the existing Woodland Environment Fund (WEF), which includes a mix of private finance and state funding to pay farmers to establish native woodlands.

The WEF demonstrates a willingness to tackle wider societal issues in Ireland relating to biodiversity, water quality, climate mitigation, and health and well-being.

At EU level, the European Commission adopted a Communication on Sustainable Carbon Cycles last December, setting out how to increase removals of carbon from the atmosphere. The Communication details actions to support carbon farming and upscale this green business model to better reward land managers for carbon sequestration and biodiversity protection.

The Commission is working on a regulatory framework for the certification of carbon removals, with the intention of publishing a proposal by the end of 2022 and expected entry into force by the end of 2023.

In the interim, it is their intention to set up an expert group from forestry, agriculture & environmental specialists to advise on plans for the new framework, where Member State authorities and stakeholders can exchange best practices on carbon farming and share experiences. The work of the expert group will lead to the development of carbon certification methodologies setting-out how land-owners will be rewarded for removing carbon through their management activities.

These are still early days in the development of a carbon farming initiative and the Department will continue to explore options in line with developments at EU level.