Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 November 2022
345. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Forest Service within his Department has researched the health and safety risks associated with rotten ash trees within plantations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58609/22]
View answerI am well aware that as ash dieback disease progresses nationally and within individual ash plantations, the potential health and safety risks associated with forest plantations, roadside and parkland ash trees will become an issue of increasing importance for landowners, workers and visitors.
Site-specific health and safety issues together with any measures, including any risk assessments required, are the responsibility of the landowner.
While there are inevitable health and safety aspects associated with diseased trees, these are particularly acute when roadside trees are diseased. In response to this, the Department has published “A Guide for Landowners to Managing Roadside Trees” in order to provide guidance to landowners with roadside trees.
