Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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666. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will expand the dieback scheme to help farmers clear the diseased trees and to replant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60183/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I refer the Deputy to my answer to Parliamentary Question number 739 of 23^rdNovember, in which I outlined details of the current scheme which supports those forest owners whose plantations are affected by ash dieback.

As outlined my Department introduced the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (RUS) in July 2020. The new Scheme provides the forest owner with a broader range of silvicultural and management options.

The objectives of RUS are to encourage the active management of ash plantations; to promote the vigorous growth of ash through thinning and where appropriate in young plantations and in cases of high disease infection, to support the removal of the affected ash crop and replacement with alternative species.

The scheme opened for applications in June 2020 and to date there have been 428 applications with 144 approved to date, which demonstrates a healthy interest in the Scheme. The Department will continue to keep ash dieback under close review, but our focus is very much on implementation of the current Scheme and engaging with applicants. I am acutely of the hardship being suffered by these forest owners and I want to continue to help them during this period.