Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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846. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to address ash dieback disease in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44708/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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A package of measures to assist ash forest owners, including financial aid as outlined within the Action Plan approved by the Government in April 2024, offers relief and incentives to deal with this important issue in Kildare and all other counties. The overall financial aid for ash dieback potentially amounts to €237 million, including the new €79.5 million Climate Action Performance Payment.

The Action Plan has been welcomed by many stakeholders and interest in the package is reflected in a significant increase in interest in the reconstitution scheme since the announcement. I outline below some of the details of the enhanced financial package now available to ash forest owners.

• 100% increase in the site clearance grant rate, from €1,000 to €2,000 per hectare.
• Enhanced replanting grant rates under the new Forestry Programme 2023-2027; depending on forest type. For conifer forests (FT12) that amounts to €3,858/ha. If the landowner chooses to replant with native trees that rate is €6,744/ha, and it is €8,555/ha for agroforestry. In addition, grants of €2,880/ha are also available for Deer Fencing in respect of Forest Type 1 to 11.
• Those applicants whose sites are still in premium will continue to receive the premium due for the remaining years.
• For those in receipt of farmer rate of premium, a top up premium equal to the difference between the equivalent forestry type under the new Programme and the existing premium will be paid. This will be calculated for the remaining years left in premium and paid in a single sum.
• For those in receipt of non-farmer rate of premium a top up €300 will be paid per hectare, calculated for the remaining period left in premium and paid in a single sum.
• In addition, the new Climate Action Performance Payment will entitle ash forest owners who clear their sites and replant to a further €5,000 per hectare.

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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847. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the mid-term review of the forestry programme will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44709/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Forestry Programme for the period 2023-2027 aims to encourage a substantial increase in afforestation by offering attractive and diverse options for planting. This Government has committed €1.3 billion of funding to the Programme in order to support our national ambition of 8,000 hectares of afforestation per year. It also provides for a range of schemes to support the maintenance and sustainable management of forests.

My Department has committed to undertaking a mid term review of the current Forestry Programme in 2025. This will be conducted in consultation with stakeholders. Depending on the outcome of this review, certain proposed changes may require approval from the European Commission under State Aid Rules. These resulting agreed changes will be implemented prior to the end of the current Forestry Programme 2023-2027 term.

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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848. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to address fireblight disease in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44710/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Plant Health within the European Union (EU) is governed by the EU Plant Health Regulation 2016/2031 and the Official Controls Regulation 2017/625. These Regulations harmonise the rules in areas such as, the surveillance for pests of plant health and actions to be taken in the event of the confirmation of the presence of specific plant pests, including Erwinia amylovora (Fireblight) and rules on the maintenance of protected zones. These rules are applied nationally, therefore, the approach to Fireblight is the same in all counties.

In line with EU rules and this Departments plant health generic contingency plan for each confirmed outbreak site a “Demarcated area” consisting of a 500m “infested zone” and a 5km “buffer zone” are established in line with the known biology of the pest. Delimiting surveys are then conducted to establish the true extent of the outbreaks and can result in the revision of the size of infested and buffer zones, respectively. Such surveys are conducted during the growing season as this is when the pest can be detected.

Under EU rules a 24-month period from the official confirmation of the presence of the pest is permitted to complete surveillance and achieve eradication, where possible.