Reduction of 8% in forestry premiums unacceptable, says IFA

THE 8% cut in forestry premiums was described as totally unacceptable by the Irish Farmers Association yesterday as the forest liaison group met at the request of Minister of State Tony Killeen to consider options to restore confidence in the sector.

IFA Farm Forestry chairman Pat Hennessy said the Government is reneging on its commitments to farmers, who planted trees on assurances that the premiums were guaranteed for 20 years.

“Farmers cannot accept a cut to forest premiums. Forestry is different from other agricultural activity. It is a permanent land use conversion — once a farmer plants, he is legally obliged to replant. The forest premiums must be protected,” he said

Mr Hennessy said the IFA needs a commitment from the Government that forest premiums will be restored and that an alternative will be found within the current budgetary estimates.

Mr Killeen has asked the Forestry Liaison Group to consider new overall priorities in the available budget and to recommend a set of initiatives.

He had previously accepted that an 8% reduction in premium levels would have an impact on 15,000 recipients. But he said it was balanced by the decision to maintain the establishment grant scheme, the lifeblood of planting and employment in the forestry sector.

Mr Killeen said he was impressed by the ideas at meetings with the sector and had asked the forestry liaison group to meet.

Ireland East MEP, Máiréad McGuinness has meanwhile described as “high-handed” a letter from the department to forestry owners. She said it informs farmers that the reconstitution scheme will no longer apply to fire or wind damage to forestry plantations and that they must insure forests against fire and wind blow by June 1.

The letter says the scheme will only apply to damage from frost, drought, deer, grey squirrel, vole, disease or insect but even this is subject to availability of funding.