Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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405. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated full-year cost to increase, by 25,000 hectares per year, land under forestry or biodiversity regeneration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28892/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The new Forestry Programme 2023-2027 offers 12 different Forest Types with grant and premium rates ranging from €3,878-€8,555 (grants) and €746 -€1,142 (premiums). The grant is paid in two instalments split 75% and 25% with the second grant paid after four years and the establishment of the trees. A premium is paid for a period of twenty years for farmers and fifteen years for other landowners.

The cost in the year of planting of 25,000 hectares would be €145,500,000. There would be ongoing costs for fifteen to twenty years depending on the status of the forest owner.

In relation to biodiversity regeneration, this is a more complex matter, as it relates to the state of the habitat in question in the first instance and the type of activities to be undertaken to regenerate it. In this regard the National Parks and Wildlife Service are leading on the development of a national restoration plan, this work will include an assessment of the financial needs for biodiversity regeneration.