Minister of State Healy-Rae reaffirms his commitment to tree planting
- Published on: 18 July 2025
- Last updated on: 18 July 2025
In 2025, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has continued to achieve key objectives of Ireland’s Forest Strategy 2023-2030, including the delivery of the 2023-2027 National Forestry Programme, which, at €1.3 billion, is the biggest and best-funded forestry programme to date in Ireland.
Minister of State with responsibility for Forestry, Michael Healy-Rae TD, said:
“This year, my Department has allocated €91 million to forestry, and in addition to the afforestation schemes is implementing 14 schemes supporting existing forests, providing training, and promoting sustainable forest management.”
In 2025, this has resulted in payments for the planting of 1,566 Hectares, with a further almost 4,500 hectares approved and not fully planted.
Minister Healy-Rae continued:
“This Forestry Programme offers a very generous package to farmers, with premiums increased by between 46% and 66%, and the length of premiums increased to 20 years for farmers. I have also ensured that we continue to support people affected by ash dieback disease through a package worth a total of €230 million, and which includes a doubling of site clearance grants, to €2,000 per hectare, a replanting grant of €3,858 up to €8,555, depending on the forest type replanted, and a €5,000 per-hectare Climate Action Performance Payment. And I have made sure that we are working rapidly to support those affected by Storms Darragh and Éowyn to fell and replant, with 65% of windblown trees now having a felling licence, and any windblow felling licence applications on hand being prioritised.”
The Department has also invested significant resources in the processing and approval of licences, with turnaround times reduced and now in line with the agreed Farmers’ Charter commitments of six months and nine months, respectively, for files screened out or screened in for environmental assessment.
In addition to its own communications, the Department has funded 42 stakeholder-led forestry promotional projects, spending €1.4 million over the last two years, and the 2025 programme is due to commence shortly. The Department is continuing to expand its engagement programme, working to identify specific barriers to taking up our schemes, examining what additional supports people might need, and how it can work with them in a more targeted way.
Supported by these initiatives, forest land and harvested wood products (HWP) have represented a significant carbon sink since 1990, and HWP will continue to be an important store of carbon in all years out to 2030 and beyond. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) most recent inventory report shows that forest land and HWP contributed to a total removal of 2.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (MtCo2eq) in 2023.
The Department continues to explore the potential to plant trees where appropriate, guided by the latest scientific evidence. Ireland is also guided by our state aid approval letter from the European Commission which stipulates that:
- the inappropriate afforestation of sensitive habitats such as peat lands and wetlands will be avoided;
- the carbon balance is neutral or positive - organo-mineral soils with peat depth greater than 30cm are excluded from afforestation;
- afforestation of organo-mineral soils with peat depth lower than 30cm is subject is certain safeguards.
The Department is investing €2.7 million in the PeatFor research project led by University of Limerick. This project will provide a carbon emission factor for forested peatlands, identify management options to enhance resilience and adaptability of peatland forestry, and enhance scientific understanding of the potential for climate mitigation, biodiversity conservation and water protection from peatland forestry. The project runs for the next four years, and we hope to have preliminary results within two years.
Minister Healy-Rae concluded:
“It is critical that we get a balance between the economic needs of the forestry sector and supporting employment, and our responsibility to climate and biodiversity. That is why I am working closely with my officials to make sure that we are increasing funding where we can, improving engagement with the sector, and carrying out more research to support progress and sustainable afforestation rates year on year.”
Notes to editor
Climate Action Plan 2025
The implementation of the Climate Action Plan will create jobs, new economic opportunities and it will protect people and the planet. Climate Action Plan 2025 was approved by Government in April of 2025.
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