Relevant Matter
Public policy or programme
Public Policy Area
Agriculture
Period
1 Sep, 2024 to 31 Dec, 2024
Specific Details
Farm Forestry Issues
Intended results
To meet with the Minister of State in the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine to seek resolutions to the issues and difficulties facing the forestry sector.
Climate Resilient Reforestation Pilot Scheme
To acknowledge that the development of a reforestation scheme is critical to the future viability of the forestry sector.
To highlight that it is vital that the scheme is fit for purpose and an attractive option for forestry owners to participate in.
To outline significant concerns with aspects of the pilot scheme which IFA believe will significantly impact its efficacy. These include the exclusion of setback areas in commercial forests and the proposed seven-year eco-scheme system payment, which is much too short.
To highlight that the scheme overall is very disappointing especially for commercial forests where a setback will apply, and the area is not included in this scheme.
To emphasise that the proposed seven-year payments for ecosystems are far too short and should be extended.
Ash Dieback
To emphasise that an urgent Roadside Ash Dieback Scheme is needed to safely removed diseased trees. As it is a costly and dangerous operation, farmers need support to provide traffic management during felling, and financial support to engage suitably qualified professionals to safely fell trees.
Bark Beetle
To highlight that, while measures are currently in place to prevent an outbreak of Spruce Bark Beetle, the effectiveness of these measures must be scrutinised and it must be a priority to avoid another devastating blow to the forestry sector.
To meet with MEP's to discuss the ongoing issues in Farm Forestry.
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Francie Gorman IFA President, Padraig Stapleton IFA Farm Forestry Chair, Geraldine O'Sullivan IFA Senior Policy Executive, Amy Mulchrone IFA Policy Executive, John Fitzgerald IFA Clare Forestry Chair, Stephen Walsh IFA Clare Chair
Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?)
No
Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign?
No
Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client?
No
Lobbying activity
The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.
Informal communication (2-5)
Designated public officials lobbied
The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them.
As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.
Ciaran Mullooly
MEP (European Parliament)
Declan O'Rourke
Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Joe Cooney
Councillor (Clare County Council)
Pippa Hackett
Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)