Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 12 June 2024

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Ash Dieback Scheme: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners Limited

Photo of Tim LombardTim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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The potential for bringing those 20,000 acres back into the system will have a significant impact for society in future. The real question is about changes that are required. What are the witnesses' requests to the Minister? Will they go through the major changes to the scheme that are required so that confidence can be built?

I have a second question about the witnesses' plantations.

I thank the witnesses for showing us the pictures of them. It is a frightening affair. It must be horrible. May I ask about the issue of the potential for fire on these plantations? Down in my part of the world, not ash plantations but gorse was a huge issue this time last year. Hundreds of acres on mountains were burned. The witnesses might elaborate. Are they fearful that these plantations could be a threat to forestry going forward regarding fire? What do they think is the solution to that issue?