Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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56. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of ash dieback reconstitution and underplanting scheme applications received up to 30 June 2022; the number of applications awaiting a decision; the number of applications approved up to 30 June 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37344/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Since the first finding of ash dieback disease in Ireland, the Department has provided support totalling over €7 million to owners of ash plantations impacted by disease through the Reconstitution Scheme (Ash Dieback) (introduced in 2013) and more recently the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (RUS – Ash dieback) introduced in July 2020.

Since the commencement of the Scheme and up to the 30th of June this year a total of 706 applications were received, 237 were approved and 469 remain on hand.

A key target of the Licensing Plan 2022 is to refocus on the delivery on approvals from the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (RUS) (Ash Dieback). However, the 2022 Plan does not include an annual target as many RUS applications are screened in for Appropriate Assessment and are referred to ecology. Of these, any that propose replacing the ash crop with conifer species currently require planning permission.

We have had successful engagement with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to this requirement for planning permission. From those discussions we expect that legislation to remove the requirement for planning permission in all cases under 10 hectares will be introduced after the summer recess.