Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 April 2015
337. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of hectares of ash that have been destroyed here as a result of ash dieback since January 2013; the number of hectares that were hedgerow; the amount that was privately owned; and the amount of that ash that was planted under the Rural Environment Protection Scheme. [15528/15]
View answerTo date approximately 693 hectares of ash forestry plantations have been cleared and replanted with alternative species. A high proportion of the area cleared are plantations which were associated with infected imported batches but which were not necessarily infected. These associated plantations were destroyed on a precautionary basis. This work involved the uprooting and deep burial of circa 2 million ash trees since late 2012. The findings in forestry plantations were all privately owned apart from one Coillte site. Infected ash has also been destroyed by deep burial or burning in privately owned non-forestry locations such as horticultural nurseries, gardens and farm and agri-environment plantings. There have also been findings in roadsides which have been subject to eradication measures. In relation to ash planted under the Rural Environment Protection Scheme no data is available specifically for ash trees. We do know however, that 23 cases of Chalara have been found on Farm planting/Agri-environment site. With regard to hedgerows I can confirm that 4 cases of infection in hedgerows have been identified all of which are associated with sites planted with infected imported material.
