Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 May 2015
7. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of hectares of ash trees that have been destroyed as a result of ash dieback since January 2013; and the number that were hedgerow, privately owned or planted under the rural environment protection scheme. [16838/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraTo date, approximately 693 hectares of ash forestry plantations have been cleared and replanted with alternative species. A high proportion of the areas cleared were plantations which were associated with infected imported batches but which were not necessarily infected. These associated plantations were destroyed on a precautionary basis. Out of a total of 59 findings in forestry plantations, all were privately owned apart from one Coillte site. Infected ash has also been destroyed in privately owned non-forestry locations such as horticultural nurseries, gardens and farm /agri-environment plantings. There have also been findings in ash planted along roadsides which have been subject to eradication measures.
In relation to ash planted under the Rural Environment Protection Scheme the data is not available specifically for ash trees. We do know however, that 23 cases of Chalara have been found on Farm planting/Agri-environment sites. 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.
