Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 February 2023
491. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total hectarage of land affected by ash dieback within the State; if such affected hectares are included within national afforestation statistics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5860/23]
View answerAsh dieback disease was first found in Ireland in 2012 and is now widespread throughout the country and the rest of Europe. The planting of ash trees ceased in Ireland in late 2012.
The spread and impact of the disease on ash, one of our most important native broadleaves has increased year on year. Surveys in the early years since 2012 showed the rapid spread of the disease. It is now assumed that the disease is present to a greater or lesser extend in every ash plantation in the country.
The National Forest Inventory records that there is currently approximately 24,300 hectares of ash in Ireland. The majority of ash forests are young grant aided ash plantations planted on private property since 1990. Records show that since 1990 a total of 15,897 hectares of ash was planted and paid under the afforestation grant scheme. These statistics remain in the records. On the ground many of these plantations are being replaced by other species under the Departments Reconstitution schemes.
Since the first finding of ash dieback disease in Ireland, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has provided support totalling over €8.9 million to owners of ash plantations impacted by ash dieback disease through the ash dieback reconstitution scheme (introduced in 2013) and more recently via the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (Ash Dieback) introduced in July 2020. I have secured a package of €1.3 billion for forestry which will support the biggest and best-funded Forestry Programme to date in Ireland and it is intended to continue to offer a Reconstitution Scheme for ash through the next Forestry Programme which will cover the period from 2023-2027.
