Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
1314. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a forest owner who fells an ash plantation that has been affected by ash dieback will have to return his forestry payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38621/23]
View answerIn response to the impact of ash dieback on forestry plantations nation-wide, my Department offers support to owners under the Reconstitution of Ash Dieback Scheme, details of which are found at this link on gov.ie:
www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/15355-reconstitution-ash-dieback-scheme-2023-2027/
If an owner does not wish to avail of the reconstitution of Ash Dieback Scheme and wishes instead to convert to another land use, they should submit a felling licence application along with a case for conversion. When received my Department can then examine the context of the application and engage with the applicant. In such cases, if successful, the landowner / applicant would normally have to:
a. Refund any payments received from the Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme under which the forest was planted;
b. Comply with the Department’s requirements, as they currently are, regarding the afforestation of alternative lands in lieu of the lands deforested.
In addition, the application would need to be consistent with my Department's Felling and Reforestation Policy document which is linked here:
www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/96814/4830fc08-0227-4504-83fa-2fd90a7942f2.pdf#page=null
