Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Minister for State, Deputy Healy-Rae, I thank Senator Collins for this question on supports for ash dieback. I welcome the opportunity to update the House on the supports in place to assist affected forest owners.

The Minister of State is keenly aware of the impact this devastating disease has had on forest owners who planted ash. The need for support is well recognised by Government, which is why we have a new reconstitution scheme for ash dieback in the forestry programme. The scheme has a new site clearance grant and enhanced replanting rates. The site clearance grant is being doubled, going from €1,000 to €2,000 per hectare. Improved replanting rates have been reintroduced as well to reflect the increased rates for planting under the new programme. For example, there is a grant of nearly €4,000 per hectare for conifer forests. If one chooses to replant with native trees, that grant goes to €6,744 per hectare, and for agroforestry it is €8,555 per hectare. Furthermore, grants of €2,888 per hectare are available to cover deer fencing. We are also paying annual premiums due to those whose forests have been affected by this awful disease. In addition, farmers whose plantations were impacted by ash dieback and who are still in premium now receive a top-up to bring them in line with the new increased premium rates under the new forestry programme.

Notwithstanding the introduction of a new scheme in 2023, questions about the impact of the disease remained. To address these in a fair manner, an independent review group has been set up. In May 2024, the ash dieback action plan, which was based on the review group’s report, was approved by the previous Government. The action plan addresses all 13 of the review group’s recommendations. It provides for, among other things, an additional €79.5 million in funding to pay for a new climate action performance payment, CAPP, scheme. This payment of €5,000 per hectare is available to forest owners who fully engage with the Department’s reconstitution schemes and carry out replanting. This brings to more than €230 million the overall financial package available to ash plantation owners who are dealing with or have dealt with ash dieback.

As part of the action plan, a task force was established with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the plan. This task force comprises officials from the Department and stakeholders, including ash forest owners. The role of the task force is to ensure the plan is implemented in an effective way, with a co-ordinated response and a resolution of obstacles to its implementation. The task force has met four times and is scheduled to meet again in June. Some useful clarifications have been made in those meetings and actions agreed to progress the implementation of the plan.

The Department has been receiving applications for the CAPP first instalment since late August 2024. The applications received so far have paid out nearly €3.5 million. There are obviously many more ash owners eligible to apply for the first instalment, and the Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae, encourages them to do so through the Department’s agfood facility. To promote awareness of supports available for ash dieback, we have placed clear and accessible information in the farming media and will continue to do so, with a renewed awareness campaign also planned. Department staff will also be in attendance at the Tullamore Show and the National Ploughing Championships and will speak to owners about the financial assistance available. The Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae, encourages ash forest owners who have not yet applied for the enhanced reconstitution scheme to do so. This would give them the financial support to clear and reconstitute affected sites and also enable them to apply for the climate action performance payment of €5,000 per hectare.