Forest Industries Ireland (FII), the national representative body for the forestry and timber sectors within Ibec, has unveiled its manifesto ahead of the upcoming general election. Titled “Forestry for our Future: Delivering on the potential of Irish forestry”, the document urges the next government to revitalize new forest planting and encourage greater use of wood in construction. FII highlights that Ireland is trailing behind other nations in green building practices, citing examples of European governments incentivizing timber construction through green public procurement policies and appropriate building regulations.
The French government, for instance, has introduced a sustainability law mandating 50% timber usage in public buildings. FII draws attention to the fact that 12% of Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions are attributed to construction activities. As part of Budget 2025, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) received €91 million for forestry, a decrease from the previous budget’s €110 million allocation. FII expressed concern over this reduction, indicating a decline in new forestry initiatives and fewer premiums being disbursed to farmers under the Forestry Programme.
The group emphasized that the Afforestation Scheme is only achieving 2,000 hectares of annual planting, falling short of the government’s target of 8,000 hectares. FII stressed the need to streamline processes, enhance accessibility, and expedite licensing in order to make forestry more competitive with other land uses and agricultural schemes. They called for a realignment of incentives to address this imbalance.
While an official date for the general election is yet to be confirmed, Taoiseach Simon Harris has hinted at a pre-Christmas polling. The leaders of the three coalition parties in the current government are scheduled to convene this evening. In preparation for the impending election, FII has outlined five key demands for the next government in its manifesto:
1. Significantly increase afforestation by reforming agricultural incentives and enhancing the Forestry Programme;
2. Free up more land for forestry by easing land restrictions and formulating a proactive national land use strategy that promotes expanded forest coverage;
3. Support the planting of conifers and productive commercial forests to ensure sustainable timber supplies for Irish construction and housing;
4. Encourage the utilization of Irish wood in construction through green public procurement and amendments to building regulations;
5. Establish a new independent Forestry Development Agency to foster and advance the forest sector.
Mark McAuley, Director of Forest Industries Ireland, stressed the importance of reevaluating incentives for farmers to prioritize tree planting. He highlighted challenges related to land eligibility for the Forestry Programme, advocating for a more tailored approach to land use restrictions. McAuley underscored the necessity of planting trees on marginal lands due to the competition for prime agricultural areas.
Pointing to the government’s €2.7 billion capital expenditure on housing this year, McAuley urged for a shift towards greener building practices. He emphasized the environmental benefits of constructing timber frame homes, noting a substantial reduction in carbon emissions compared to traditional masonry buildings. McAuley emphasized the ongoing need for planting productive forests to facilitate the construction of timber homes in the future.
