Written answers

Wednesday, 17 May 2023

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Agriculture Schemes

Photo of Claire KerraneClaire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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177. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the financial supports available for farmers to manage roadside ash trees infected by ash dieback disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23353/23]

Photo of Michael LowryMichael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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187. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has received correspondence from an organisation (details supplied) seeking his support and endorsement in the modifying of the reconstitution and underplanting scheme (RUS) to help farmers and landowners remove diseased ash trees that pose a safety risk to the public and road users on public roads; if the RUS scheme will be reconfigured to acknowledge the financial loss incurred; if he will consider the introduction of a financial support scheme to help farmers and landowners remove diseased ash trees for the safety of others; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23536/23]

Photo of Martin BrowneMartin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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190. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine he plans to revise the reconstitution and underplanting scheme to include payments to farmers to remove roadside trees infected by ash dieback; if he has plans to allow for a support package to be made available through local authorities to enable farmers and landowners to hire professional to safely remove infected trees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23618/23]

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 177, 187 and 190 together.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is aware of correspondence from the organisation named regarding Ash Dieback in roadside trees which includes their request for the introduction of a financial support scheme.

The care and management of trees adjacent to roads is the responsibility of the landowner on whose land the roadside trees are growing. It is advisable that landowners make themselves aware of the full legal extent of their land ownership and of any obligations arising from this.

The Department does not offer funding for the removal of roadside trees, but has recently published guidance on the subject of roadside trees (“A Guide for Landowners to Managing Roadside Trees”) and this can be accessed at the Department website.

A total of €9.2 million has been expended to date on the reconstitution schemes that my Department has offered for Ash Dieback. These schemes include supports to restore forests planted under the afforestation scheme which had suffered from, or which were associated with plants affected by disease.

Last month, I launched an Interim Reconstitution Scheme for Ash Dieback via general de minimis which contains a doubling of site clearance rates, increased grant rates and an improved premium regime. The interim scheme includes the following enhanced features:

  • 100% increase in the site clearance grant rate, increased from €1,000 to €2,000.
  • Enhanced grant rates as per draft Forestry programme 2023-2027
  • Those applicants whose sites are still in premium will continue to receive the premium due for the remaining years.
  • In addition, for those in receipt of farmer rate of premium, a top up premium equal to the difference between the equivalent forestry type and the existing premium will be paid. This will be calculated for the remaining years left in premium and paid in a single sum.
A similar scheme for the reconstitution of ash dieback will be launched as part of the new forestry programme and does do not offer assistance for the removal of roadside trees.

Photo of Claire KerraneClaire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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178. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration has been given to providing a full reconstitution grant which would cover costs associated with clearing and replanting sites affected by ash dieback, given that the current reconstitution and underplanting scheme does not recognise the financial losses incurred by farmers or compensate for the loss of timber earnings as a result of addressing ash dieback; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23354/23]

Photo of Martin BrowneMartin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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191. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has plans to revise the reconstitution and underplanting scheme to allow for a 100% reconstitution grant that would cover all costs associated with site clearance and subsequent replant with a suitable replacement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23619/23]

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 178 and 191 together.

The Deputy may be aware that the first confirmed finding of Ash Dieback Disease (Hymenoscyphus fraxineaus) in Ireland was made on 12thOctober 2012 at a forestry plantation site which had been planted in 2009 with trees imported from continental Europe.

In March 2013, the Department introduced a Reconstitution Scheme (Chalara Ash Dieback) to restore forests planted under the afforestation scheme which had suffered from, or which were associated with plants affected by disease.

Following a Review of the National Response to Ash Dieback Disease arising from scientific advice and evidence that eradication of ash dieback disease is no longer feasible the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (Ash Dieback) was launched in June 2020.

A total of €9.2 million has been expended to date on both schemes. All these schemes include a grant for site clearance as well as replanting and cover the costs associated with these operations.

Last month, an Interim Reconstitution Scheme for Ash Dieback via general de minimis was launched which contains a doubling of site clearance rates, increased grant rates and an improved premium regime. The interim scheme includes the following enhanced features:

  • 100% increase in the site clearance grant rate from €1,000 to €2,000.
  • Enhanced grant rates as per draft Forestry programme 2023-2027
  • Those applicants whose sites are still in premium will continue to receive the premium due for the remaining years.
  • In addition, for those in receipt of farmer rate of premium, a top up premium equal to the difference between the equivalent forestry type and the existing premium will be paid. This will be calculated for the remaining years left in premium and paid in a single sum.
A similar scheme for the reconstitution of ash dieback will be launched as part of the new forestry programme.

State Aid Guidelines provide for aid for the restoration of damage to forests caused by a variety of events including damage from disease and pests. State Aid rules are explicit that this aid is for restoration and does not facilitate compensation for loss including income.

My Department continues to review the operation of the ash dieback scheme, having regard to its effectiveness, the status of the plantations, state aid regulations and other issues having regard to the age and stage of the rotation of the almost 16,000 hectares of ash that were grant aided between 1990 and 2013.

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