Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I welcome yesterday’s publication of the long-awaited ash dieback report. A large number of farmers are waiting to see what the Department’s next steps will be. Will the new ash dieback scheme restrict what species can be chosen by farmers looking to replace their dead trees? Will it be operational for the coming planting season, which will commence in November? Last year, nurseries were left with millions of trees because the new programme was not in place. Will state aid rules cause issues for ash dieback compensation? We need to get this sorted, not for the Department to use state aid rules as an excuse to restrict a compensation package. Farmers need to know where they are and what they will get, and the package on the table needs to put them in a better place than they have been in recent years.