Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1544. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will introduce a reconstituted scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41990/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Since the first finding of ash dieback disease in Ireland, the Department has provided support to owners of ash plantations impacted by ash dieback disease through  the ash dieback reconstitution scheme and more recently the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme introduced in July 2020.

By the end of 2019, well over 1,000 hectares of infected and associated ash plantations had been cleared and replanted with alternative species at a cost to the exchequer of over €7 million.    

Premium payments are made from the time of establishment of the plantation  up to the time the crop became infected and support through the RUS or preceding schemes was sought from my Department. Following approval into the RUS scheme, the re-start of premium payments begins from the date the last premium was paid and up to year 15 or year 20 as appropriate, rather than re-starting from year zero again.

Additional payments are available for site clearance and for the establishment of a replacement crop. The option not to re-plant is not possible because of the replanting obligations of the Forestry Act 2014.  As advised in Circular 11/2021, older ash plantations (>25 years) also now qualify for consideration under RUS.

The Department has received 365 applications to date under the scheme and has approved 109. Our priority is to continue to work with applicants under the scheme and issue approvals as quickly as possible.