Richard Boyd Barrett Slams 'Lip Service' on Forestry and Bioeconomy
Richard Boyd Barrett challenged the Taoiseach on forestry and the bioeconomy, accusing government policy of offering only "lip service" and citing a damning report by Jim MacKinnon. He highlighted chronic planting shortfalls, staffing gaps, and called for a serious afforestation programme for biodiversity, climate and the bioeconomy.
MacKinnon report and planting shortfalls
The Deputy cited a report by Jim MacKinnon commissioned by the Department of Agriculture, saying it is "damning of government forestry policy." He summarised the report's findings as no coherence in targets, three different targets, shortages of foresters and inspectors, an over-emphasis on an industrial model of forestry, and huge backlogs in processing applications. He noted the government target of 8,000 hectares while actual tree planting this year was described as the lowest in 30 years at 3,250 acres, and said failure to meet targets is a consistent pattern.
Forestry coverage and afforestation targets
In reply, the Taoiseach noted about 11% of land is now forested, the highest level for 350 years but still low by European standards. The Climate Action Plan target to plant 440 million trees during the plan period was restated, with an emphasis on convincing farmers, landowners and communities to take part. The Taoiseach said he wants to encourage large landowners to plant at least one hectare of native broadleaf and proposed paying them, suggesting this could form part of Common Agricultural Policy reforms.
Bioeconomy projects and funding cited by government
The Taoiseach outlined multiple bioeconomy actions and funding supports, citing piloting facilities at Lyshene campus and Park Namara marine, the Beacon Bioeconomy Research Centre and two successful EU Life Awards. He listed funding and initiatives including 14.2 million from Science Foundation Ireland, 4.6 million to the Lycine Project under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund, Enterprise Ireland support for BioConnect and Park Namara, EPA funding for projects, Department of Agriculture and SEAI co-funded projects Agri-Bio and BioCircle, and workshops by the ABC Economy Project in Tipperary and Monaghan.
EU-level finance and related policy comments
The Taoiseach referenced EU funding avenues including Horizon 2020 Societal Challenge 2, the bio-based industries joint undertaking (a 3.7 billion public-private partnership), and the European Circular Bioeconomy Fund being designed by the European Investment Bank with a target fund volume of 250 million and first close aimed for Q1 2020. He said a proposal by the EU to invest 100 million in the fund would be submitted to the Board for approval.
Air quality, transport and land use remarks
On air quality, the Taoiseach attributed urban problems largely to diesel cars and said the policy response is to make diesel less attractive, increase electric vehicles and invest in public transport, noting a recent billion-euro five-year rail investment. He also said smoky coal, peat and wood are equally harmful to air quality in many towns. On a land use plan raised by another Deputy, the Taoiseach said it was not something he was familiar with but he would give it consideration.
We publish thousands of recordings to make Irish politics transparent and resistant to manipulation. Spotted an error? Report it — together we are building a reliable archive of Irish politics.
Taoiseach, the bioeconomy strategy pays lip service to forestry and the importance of forestry for the bioeconomy, biodiversity, a circular economy and so on. But the actuality of government policy suggests that all of this is just lip service and nothing more. There's a report out just this month by Jim MacKinnon, commissioned by the Department of Agriculture on forestry and frankly it is damning, damning of government forestry policy. It points out that there's no coherence in targets, that the government has three different targets, that we don't have enough foresters, we don't have enough inspectors. There isn't a serious campaign to win people over to the value and virtues of forestry, that there are problems with the over emphasis on the industrial model of forestry. There's huge backlogs in terms of applications and processing of applications because we haven't enough people working in this sector and most damning of all, we have this year a target that you've announced on a number of occasions of 8,000 hectares. In actuality, tree planting rates this year, actual tree planting is the lowest in 30 years at 3,250 acres and that is a consistent pattern of failing to meet your own targets by a long mile when it comes to forestry. So, Taoiseach, you know, can we get more than lip service when it comes to an afforestation programme from a biodiversity point of view, from a climate change point of view, from the bioeconomy point of view? Thanks. Thanks very much, Deputy, for your questions. First of all, I think the bioeconomy plan is being implemented and just to give some examples of the progress being made, we have significant actions across the bioeconomy policy framework, including the development of physical infrastructure created at piloting facilities like the Lyshene campus and Park Namara marine and research capacity at the Beacon Bioeconomy Research Centre. Also, two EU Life Awards have been successful and secured to aid the scaling up of small, on-farm and large industrial biorefining activities. The EPA has awarded funding for two bioeconomy-related projects and the launch of BioConnect Regional and Technology Cluster in Monaghan to support bioeconomy development. The Beacon Bioeconomy Research Centre signed an MOU with the Technological Higher Education Authority to develop bioeconomy-related education activities in technological universities. And the Irish Cooperative Society was awarded an EU-Erasmus Plus funding award to develop training to support bioeconomy development by cooperative members and farmers. The Department of Agriculture and also SEAI have co-funded two research projects, Agri-Bio, Circular Economy and BioCircle, that are focused on regional bioeconomy development. And the ABC Economy Project held two workshops with industry, regional and rural stakeholders in Tipperary and Monaghan in the second quarter of 2019 to assess value chain development and sustainability of regional biomass supply chains. I was asked about funding. In terms of funding, 14.2 million has been provided through the Science Foundation of Ireland, 4.6 million to the Lycine Project under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund. And also funding has been provided through Enterprise Ireland's Regional Economic Development Fund for BioConnect in Monaghan and Park Namara in Connemara. Applications have also been received in the Disruptive Technologies Fund to support industrial development of the bioeconomy. Two EU life projects have been successful in securing funding to develop biorefining, to assist small-scale beef farming activities and also industrial-level biorefining activities. Funding opportunities also exist at EU level, including Horizon 2020 Societal Challenge 2, and the bio-based industries joint undertaking, a 3.7 billion public-private partnership which focus on the development, de-risking and scaling up of innovative technologies and biorefineries. The European Circular Bioeconomy Fund is being designed by the European Investment Bank, with the support of the European Commission via Horizon 2020. It will provide access to finance to innovative circular bioeconomy companies and projects of various sizes. ECBF Management Funds will raise funds from public and private investors with a target fund volume of 250 million and aims for a first close in Q1 2020. A proposal by the EUB to invest 100 million in the fund will be submitted to the Board for approval. In relation to forestry, I think, as Deptits will know, about 11% of our land is now covered in forest, which is the highest level for 350 years, but still very low by European and international standards. We have set the target in the Climate Action Plan to plant 440 million trees during the period of the plan. There is a job of work to be done to convince farmers, landowners and communities to buy into that. As I mentioned at the ICMA conference on Friday, I am very keen to encourage large landowners, not just farmers, but other landowners too, to plant at least one hectare of native broadleaf trees. We want to pay them to do it. I think this could form part of our reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy. In terms of air quality and clean air, as Deputies will know, in the cities it is very heavily related to diesel cars. And our policy solution is to make diesel cars less attractive to buy and to run, to increase the supply of electric vehicles and invest in public transport. And, Deputies, we were aware of an announcement only in the last couple of days of a billion euro five-year investment in our railways. In many towns, it is down to solid fuels, and we know now that smoky coal, peat and wood are as bad as each other when it comes to damaging air quality. And that needs to be looked at in the round, and I answered a question on that to Deputy Martin earlier on. And, Deputy Ryan raised the issue of a land use plan. It is not something I am familiar with. It is something I will give consideration to. I have not heard any objections from Chagas or the Department about that, but perhaps that is the case. But we do know that part of our climate effort is going to be land use, and LULUCF and forestry as part of that. In terms of re-municipalisation of waste, does this really matter for local authorities? I think at least one has already passed a motion calling for re-municipalisation. I think it really is up to one or two to try it and see how it goes. I think they will find it very expensive and very difficult to do. But it will be interesting to see if any of the local authorities in Dublin want to give it a go. And that would then allow other local authorities to see whether it is or not a good idea. Okay, thanks, Steve.
Thank you for downloading 🙏
If you publish this material on social media, we would be very grateful if you tagged VideoParliament. It helps us reach more people and keep building a transparent archive of Irish politics.
