Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Some €1,000 per hectare was given for 1,600 ha cleared under the original ash dieback scheme, but the process cost several thousand euro, so the scheme was clearly inadequate. Now we are seeing rising costs of diesel and so on. What impact does that have on the ability of foresters to deal with incidents of ash dieback when the contribution of the scheme is already so inadequate? What impact does the cost being faced by the contractors who help with this work in forests and woodlands have? What interventions would the witnesses like to see to assist with offsetting the costs? We have heard about the exclusion of contractors in the agri-sector from various supports.

Have the witnesses ever heard any reason, when they asked for membership of the GLAS or Common Agricultural Policy consultative committee, for not being included?