Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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At this stage, everything has probably been covered.

The question of getting information came up earlier. We know here in the committee how hard it is to get information. One cannot get a proper resolution when the Department will not even admit that it is partly to blame for ash dieback even coming into the country.

We met a person - I will not name him - during the year. On 26 June 2020, he put in an application for an RUS grant to remove the dying ash at the site he showed us. He is still waiting for that. It is completely wrong and crazy that the Department is dragging it out like that. He also raised the issue of the infected wood. If the matter was hurried, they could get some income from the firewood but the longer the tree is left in situ, the more brittle it becomes. The wood is no good, even to sell off as firewood.

Did Mr. White state earlier that no research is being done on alternatives to ash? As far as I am concerned, we were led to believe that a lot of research had been done on replacements for ash.

Did Mr. White say that earlier?