2772. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated extent to which the afforestation scheme 2023-2027 has sequestered carbon or assisted the achievement of carbon reduction targets; if he will set out the basis for his conclusions in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62800/26]

Ireland’s current forest policy is guided by the Forest Strategy 2023-2030. Its overriding objective is to urgently expand the national forest estate on both public and private land in a manner that will deliver lasting benefits for multiple objectives, including climate action. The Forestry Programme 2023-2027 is key to the implementation of the Forest Strategy and provides for a diverse range of both conifer and broadleaf forest types.

All forests, both conifer and broadleaves, sequester carbon dioxide but the overall carbon balance will depend on factors such as tree species, soil type, site conditions and management practices. The rate of carbon sequestration changes over time as a forest develops and matures. When forests are young the sequestration rate is low but as the trees mature their ability to sequester carbon dioxide as increases.

For the first three years of the Forestry Programme (2023-2025) 5,752 hectares of new forests have been created. The composition of species planted in these forests was 59% broadleaf and 41% conifer. It is estimated that by 2050 these forests will have removed in the region of 2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents.