Danny Healy-Rae Challenges Planning Exemption for Native Woodland
Danny Healy-Rae questioned a minister about a proposal to allow a hectare of native woodland to be planted without planning permission, asking whether farmers who had long planted broadleaf trees were suddenly being told they were wrong. He pressed whether the government, and specifically the Greens, intended to subsidise or provide grants to help farmers meet the costs of planting.
Main questions
Danny Healy-Rae asked whether the new proposal effectively tells farmers that the broadleaf woodlands they have been planting in field corners and around houses were incorrect, or whether the change simply formalises that they do not have to apply for planning permission.
Planning permission exemption
He referred directly to the proposal to permit one hectare of native woodland to be planted without planning permission, questioning what that change would mean in practice for landowners and whether it alters past practice.
Funding and grants
He pressed the minister on financial supports, asking explicitly if farmers could be helped with grants or subsidies to cover the costs of plants and planting work, and whether any funding in the current year would be directed towards this purpose.
Historical practice by farmers
He noted that farmers and landowners have historically planted broadleaf trees for shelter and around dwellings "going back to the foundation of the state," asserting that many have done so long before any formal permission regime.
Demand for ministerial clarity
He told the minister that without clarity on support and funding the parliamentary exercise risks being pointless, and urged the minister to confirm whether assistance will be provided to those planting native broadleaf trees.
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Minister, there is a lot of fanfare and hay being made about this proposal to allow a hectare of native woodland to be planted without getting planning permission. My question for you is, because I know it has been happening back over the years and I said it already, farmers have been planted, have been planting broadleaf trees in corners of fields and around houses for shelter and in different many places and they continue to do it. Are you telling me that what they were doing already was wrong or that Ari Kree is suggesting that they don't have to apply for planning permission? So I think they would be doing this anywhere without telling them that they could do it without planning permission. My question for you, would you help them, could they be helped with a bit of a grant? Could they get some funding towards this or is this year's ID towards it? I mean, everything you do today costs money, plants and work and anything. Is it your intention or is it the Greens' intention as part of your government to subsidise or to help these people to plant the broadleafs? Because if there isn't something like that coming down the line, what we're doing inside here is we're wasting time because farmers and landowners have been planting broadleaf trees going back to before we were ever there, going back to the foundation of the state, they were always doing it and they didn't have to be told to do it or told that they could do it without planning.
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