Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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701. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine following the 2023 review of ash dieback, the progress that has been made in implementing the recommendations to support affected forestry owners; the specific timelines in place to address this ongoing crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37385/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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An Independent Review Group was established in 2023 to review the supports available to Ash forest owners with Ash Dieback. The Group submitted a report with their findings to my Department and in response Government approval was secured for an Ash Dieback Action Plan which addresses all 13 of the Review Group's recommendations.

It provides for, among other things, an additional €79.5 million in funding to pay for a new Climate Action Performance Payment. This payment of €5,000 per hectare is available to forest owners who fully engage with my Department's reconstitution schemes and carry out replanting. This brings the overall financial package of supports available to over €230 million.

The Ash Dieback Task Force was established in 2024. It is comprised of relevant stakeholders including representatives of ash forest owners. Its purpose is to provide for effective engagement with those affected by ash dieback, facilitate a coordinated response, and support the swift implementation of the Plan. It held its first meeting in May 2024 , has met five times overall, and is scheduled to meet four times per year until the end of 2027.

The Task Force continues to be a useful forum for discussion around the implementation of the Reconstitution Scheme and the associated Climate Action Performance Payment (CAPP) with members contributing many useful recommendations.

I am pleased to report that in the past 18 months, Reconstitution Scheme approvals have issued for over 3,450 hectares and payments of more than €11million have issued to ash forest owners.

My Department aims to deal with ash dieback fully before the end of the current Forestry Programme in 2027.