Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 May 2023
74. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if financial supports or grants will be made available to farmers and landowners to safely manage roadside ash trees which would support farmers to hire relevant professionals to safely fell these trees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24159/23]
View answerThe care and management of trees adjacent to roads is the responsibility of the landowner on whose land the roadside trees are growing. It is advisable that landowners make themselves aware of the full legal extent of their land ownership and of any obligations arising from this.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine does not offer funding for the removal of roadside trees, but has recently published guidance on the subject of roadside trees (“A Guide for Landowners to Managing Roadside Trees”) and this can be accessed at the Department website.
Regarding Ash Dieback, a total of €9.2 million has been paid out to date on the reconstitution schemes that my Department has offered to those forest owners whose plantations have been affected by the disease. These schemes include supports to restore forests planted under the afforestation scheme which had suffered from, or which were associated with plants affected by disease.L
Last month, an Interim Reconstitution Scheme for Ash Dieback via general de minimis was launched which contains a doubling of site clearance rates, increased grant rates and an improved premium regime. The interim scheme includes the following enhanced features:
• 100% increase in the site clearance grant rate, increased from €1,000 to €2,000.
• Enhanced grant rates as per draft Forestry programme 2023-2027
• Those applicants whose sites are still in premium will continue to receive the premium due for the remaining years.
• In addition, for those in receipt of farmer rate of premium, a top up premium equal to the difference between the equivalent forestry type and the existing premium will be paid. This will be calculated for the remaining years left in premium and paid in a single sum.
A similar scheme for the reconstitution of ash dieback will be launched as part of the new forestry programme.
