Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I do not want to intrude on anyone’s time. I am very sorry but I wanted to be respectful to everybody by answering all of the questions.

When we are talking about the future of forestry, and I am particularly saying this when I hear people inside here saying, "We do not want to plant peat soils", that does not make sense because, like I said, look at what happened before. If we did not plant the peat soils before, we would have no forestry, timber or anything now. I am sure there is logic in what the Senators have said but I cannot see it. I have one thing to read out about the ash dieback, and I apologise that I forgot this earlier, so please allow me just this. I was very taken with the lady who said she was so upset that she felt let down by the schemes. Approvals under the new ash dieback reconstitution schemes continue, with 1,077 approvals for nearly 4,000 ha issued to date. Those forest owners who replanted under any of the ash dieback reconstitution schemes can also avail of the additional climate action performance payment, CAPP, of €5,000 per hectare. That is very important. To date, CAPP payments for an area of 1,419 ha have been paid, amounting to €3.5 million. Since ash dieback was first identified, a total of €16 million has been paid in respect of site clearance and the replanting of ash forests. I encourage any forest owner who has yet not cleared an affected site to consider applying for the reconstitution scheme. The message I have for the people who are unhappy with the ash dieback situation and the way they have been dealt with is please come back to the Department and engage with us. If there is something more that can be done for them, it will be done. I do not want to see people upset or losing out on money. It has been an upsetting time for them and I understand that, but we are there to engage with them. If we can do something for them, we will, but if we cannot, then we are sorry.

I thank the Cathaoirleach for his indulgence and the extra time.