Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 December 2022
666. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farmers whose existing forestry is affected by ash dieback can access compensation or other financial support under the reconstitution and underplanting scheme; if he intends to support these farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61786/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra671. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the compensation plans that his Department is putting in place to support farmers whose forest has been affected by ash dieback; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61831/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 666 and 671 together.
Since the first finding of ash dieback disease in Ireland, the Department has provided support totalling over €7 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.
The current scheme provides 100% grant aid to landowners to clear their ash crop, replant with an alternate species and manage their forest until successfully established. For sites undergoing reconstitution, Forest Owners are able to choose to replant with a number of proposed Forest Types and the grant rates offered correspond to the equivalent rate offered in the Afforestation Scheme. If Forest Owners are still in receipt of premiums for their forests through the Afforestation Scheme they are paid at the premium rate that is equivalent to the Forest Type that they opt to replant with.
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 the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme through the next Forestry Programme which will cover the period from 2023-2027.
The Programme, and the Forestry Strategy, which is the framework within which it operates, has recently closed a public consultation from which we are currently collating and reviewing the feedback received, and this in turn will inform the final versions.
I have, of course, met with landowners whose forests have ash dieback and I am more than aware of their concerns and I will continue to work to address them.
