Forestry Council Report July 2026

Market Review 

The Forestry Weekly Dashboard showed that as of the 10th of July 2026, 1,062 hectares of new forest have been planted and 40km of forest roads constructed. Afforestation licences issued to establish 11,445 hectares under the Afforestation scheme and 715 hectares under the Native Tree Area scheme. 528 private felling licences issued compared with 392 Coillte felling licences. 

Figure 1. Forest Licensing Dashboard (Week ending 10^th July 2026)

Activity since last National Council

Board of Forest Certification Ireland

The Board of Forest Certification Ireland was established in 2025. Following the inaugural meeting in December 2025, Marie Doyle received the full backing from the board, and all have agreed to nominate her to the board as chairperson. The Boards decision was communicated to Minister of State Healy -Rae for the Minister to officially offer Marie Doyle the position. Marie Doyle accepted the position.

The second meeting of the Board took place on the 23^rd June 2026. 

Agreement of minutes from Meeting No. 1 (16 December 2025), review of Action Points from last meeting, Agreement of Terms of Reference for the Board of Group Forest Certification Ireland, including timeframes, meeting frequency, KPIs, Discussion of options presented in the Auxilia Business Plan and Agreement on Action Plan for the Board for the next 12 months were discussed.

No correspondence received to date for the next meeting of the Board with the Chair, including a draft agenda.

UCD MBA Capstone Business Project: Expression of Interest to Participate

Trade For Us Forestry Ltd and IFA proposal was successfully selected by UCD MBA Capstone Business Project. The project will conclude with a feasibility report on a dedicated digital platform or marketplace that would allow forest owners and growers to offer timber for sale and buyers to source supply through a transparent and efficient system. 

The proposed outcome is to determine whether Trade For Us Forestry Ltd, can provide a service to growers and both national and international roundwood purchasers. In the interim IFA Farm Forestry committee has agreed IFA should no longer invest in Trade For Us Forestry Ltd due to a breach in the proposed independent business model presented to the committee. 

Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill

The Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill went before Cabinet in August 2025. This Bill would provide ESB Networks with additional vegetation management powers; enable the Minister to make regulations on the dimensions and conditions of corridors and attach responsibilities to landowners for corridor maintenance. 

IFA has previously engaged with ESB on forestry under the auspices of our Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), with a commitment to review and update the IFA/ESB agreement on compensation for the loss of tree planting rights from September 1992. The ESB outlined to the IFA that it was their intention not to engage further with the IFA on a new compensation package for forestry owners as they indicated this will be overtaken and included in the new legislation. 

Farmers with established forests are extremely concerned about some of the proposals which include removing the Forestry Green Edge to widen forestry corridors. This will leave plantations vulnerable to further windblow or disease outbreaks. There is also concern around the proposals seeking to impose maintenance responsibilities on landowners. IFA wants farmers to see forestry as a viable option for their farm or parts of the farm, therefore, IFA enforces that the interests of forestry landowners are properly protected in any new legislation.

Department Forest Windblow taskforce. 

A €55 million Reconstitution scheme for Windblow was announced in December 2025. 

The scheme offers planting grants, paid in two instalments, similar to those available under the 

afforestation scheme. This grant is only for sites that were not insured for the costs of reconstitution and is only available for forests that suffered from significant damage from windblow. The scheme document can now be found on the Department’s website Reconstitution Scheme for Windblow 2026. 

Bark Beetle

Over recent months, DAFM said it continued to engage closely with its Scottish and Northern Ireland counterparts. 

Minister Appointed 

Fianna Fáil TD Niall Collins was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for Forestry on May 28, 2026. IFA President, Farm Forestry Chair and delegate meet with the newly appointed minister to discuss Forestry related issues. 

• IFA delegate met online with the Irish Hardware Association, 8^th April.
• IFA Farm Forestry Management Committee meeting regarding IFA Farm Forestry budget submission, 13^th April. 
• IFA Farm Forestry delegate attended RDS Forest and Woodland Awards 2026, 16^th April. 
• IFA Farm Forestry chair and Policy Executive attended Forestry Industry Transport Group (FITG) meeting, 17^th April. 
• IFA Farm Forestry attended online Copa Cogeca Preparatory meeting for Forestry, 20^th April. 
• IFA Farm Forestry attended DAFM Forest Health Stakeholder Group meeting, 21^st April. 
• IFA Farm Forestry Chair participated in the online Copa Cogeca Forest and Forestry Stakeholders Platform meeting, 27^th April.
• IFA Farm Forestry participated in the Teagasc Reforestation After Storm Damage Event, 30^th April.
• IFA Farm Forestry delegate met with Forestry Industry Ireland (FII) and other forestry stakeholders in IBEC, 4^th May. 
• IFA delegate met with Jarlath Doyle DECC, 4^th May.
• IFA Farm Forestry attended DAFM Plant Health and Biosecurity meeting, 7^th May.
• IFA Farm Forestry chair and Policy Executive attended Forestry Industry Transport Group (FITG) online meeting, 11^th May.
• IFA Farm Forestry participated in the Forest Strategy Consultative Committee (FSCC) workshop on the Forestry Programme 2028-2032, 13^th May.
• IFA Farm Forestry attended online DAFM European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), 9^th June.
• IFA Farm Forestry attended Forestry Industry Transport Group (FITG) meeting, 11^th June.
• IFA Farm Forestry participated in the Teagasc Reforestation After Storm Damage Event, 15^th June.
• IFA Farm Forestry participated in the Teagasc Reforestation After Storm Damage Event, 30^th April.
• IFA Farm Forestry and Forestry stakeholder engagement re Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 22^nd June.
• IFA Farm Forestry policy executive attended Board of Forestry Certification meeting, 23^rd June. 
• IFA Farm Forestry met with Damian Flynn and DAFM officials, 8^th July.
• IFA Farm Forestry met with FITG subcommittee working group, 8^th July.
• IFA delegate met with Minister Niall Collins, 9^th July. 
• IFA Farm Forestry met online with UCD MBA Capstone Business Project: re Trade For Us Forestry, 9^th July. 
• IFA delegate met online with Cynthia Ní Mhurchú MEP, 20^th July.

Upcoming issues

• IFA Farm Forestry committee meeting to take place in the Irish Farm Centre, 22^nd July.
• IFA Farm Forestry chair and Policy Executive to attend Forestry Industry Transport Group (FITG) online meeting, 26^th August.
• IFA Farm Forestry chair and Policy Executive to attend Forestry Industry Transport Group (FITG) meeting, 9^th October.
• IFA Farm Forestry committee meeting to take place in the Irish Farm Centre, 11^th November.