Just over €1.2m of Leitrim forestry premiums were paid out to farmers or non-farmer forest owners who live outside the county in 2018.

This represents 44% of the €2.7m in forestry annual premiums for forests planted in Co Leitrim paid out in 2018.

The figures were revealed in response to a parliamentary question from Sligo Leitrim TD Martin Kenny.

The breakdown of those payments to forest owners, by category, is shown in the table below:

Nearly 80% of payments went to farmers. The non-farmer category also includes recently retired farmers and the family members of existing farmers who may also be living locally.

A rally is to take place outside Dáil Éireann on 30 January by the action group Save Leitrim against forestry in the county.

Read more

Science, statistics and facts in Irish forestry