Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 October 2022
797. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 738 and 739 of 4 October 2022, the number of forest-frost reconstitution applications that are with his Department now; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50167/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine launched a Reconstitution scheme to address frost damage earlier this year. The scheme was set up due to significant late spring frost events which took place during May 2019, May 2020, and May 2021. The scheme was established to reconstitute newly planted forests significantly damaged by these frost events and replace dead trees with plants of acceptable quality, provenance and species. It is also to provide for remedial pruning of damaged crops where damage is significant but not severe enough to warrant full replacement of stems.
The scheme was open to private forest owners who planted during the period between 1st November 2017 and 1st June 2021 and whose entire plantations sustained a minimum of 30% losses. The scheme was open for applications from Wednesday, January 19th, 2022 with a closing date for applications of Tuesday 31st May , 2022.
The Department received 350 applications during this timeframe. These applications are currently being processed and acknowledgements have begun to issue.
Full scheme details are available on gov.ie - Schemes and Payments (www.gov.ie).
