Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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588. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of the applications for the reconstitution of woodland scheme frost that have been issued an acknowledgement letter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46770/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine launched a Reconstitution of Woodland scheme to address frost damage earlier this year. The scheme was set up due to significant late spring frost events which took place during May 2019, May 2020, and May 2021. The scheme was established to reconstitute newly planted forests significantly damaged by these frost events and replacing dead trees with plants of acceptable quality, provenances and species. It is also to provide for remedial pruning of damaged crops where damage is significant but not severe enough to warrant full replacement of stems.

The scheme was open to private forest owners who planted during the period between 1st November 2017 and 1st June 2021 and whose entire plantations sustained a minimum of 30% losses were eligible to apply under the Scheme. The scheme was open for applications from Wednesday, January 19th, 2022 with a closing date for applications of Tuesday 31st May, 2022.

The Department is currently processing all applications received and acknowledgements have begun to issue.

Full scheme details are available on gov.ie - Schemes and Payments (www.gov.ie)

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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589. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the required legislation change will take place enabling the replacement species for the reconstitution and underplanting scheme to be conifers on an area up to ten hectares; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46771/22]

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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603. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the required legislation change will take place enabling the replacement species for the RUS scheme to be conifers on an area up to ten hectares; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47276/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 589 and 603 together.

The introduction of the legislation to remove the requirement for planning permission for Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme projects less than 10ha in size that involve the replacement of broadleaf high forest with conifer species is a matter for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

I understand that his Department completed the first stage in the Strategic Environment Assessment screening process and notified the prescribed statutory consultees on 22nd September 2022. Those statutory consultees have 4 weeks to respond to the notice. An Appropriate Assessment screening process is also currently being undertaken in parallel by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’s Ecological Assessment Unit.

I am hopeful that the legislation can be introduced once these processes have been finalised.