Ireland’s submission for its €1.3bn forestry programme for the next five years remains “a matter of weeks” away, a spokesperson for Minister Pippa Hackett said on Wednesday. The forestry programme was scheduled to start in January, but will not be approved for some months.

“We want to work out all the kinks before it’s submitted to Brussels and officials are working round the clock to get it submitted as soon as possible” the spokesperson said.

Speaking at a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee a fortnight ago, Minister McConalogue indicated a smilar timeframe, saying “the idea behind us working hard in getting the application match-fit is to make sure we get an answer as promptly as possible once an application is made.”

While the Commission considers the plan, the Government hopes a well-constructed application will return a positive response within three months.

McConalogue maintains that “in the meantime, we have the de minimis scheme in place so that afforestation can continue with the full, new premium rates applying.”

Draft plan criticised

Last November, the Commission took serious issue with the draft forestry plan.

In particular, the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) it contained failed to “sufficiently address” concerns around the impact of what the Commission described as the “inappropriate afforestation of sensitive habitats such as peatlands.”

Furthermore, the Commission criticised Irish forestry’s continued dependence on Sitka spruce and was unhappy that possible difficulties around the planting of upland and wetland areas considered crucial nesting environments for endangered birds, such as the hen harrier, curlew and lapwing, were not highlighted.