Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 June 2024
311. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 65 of 13 June 2024, while those granted aid by his Department from 1990 are all eligible for climate action performance payment; if plantations granted aid before 1990 are excluded from the climate action performance payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26885/24]
View answer312. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 65 of 13 June 2024, the future for plantations and their owners who qualify for climate action performance payment yet cannot receive payment if the €79.5 million of funding has been exhausted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26886/24]
View answer313. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to the reconstitution of the ash dieback scheme 2023-2027 page 13, while ash planted as a component of additional broadleaved planting in conifer plots are not eligible for the scheme, the number of individuals and hectares he is referring to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26887/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 311, 312 and 313 together.
It is the case that 1990 marked the commencement of planting under the first of the national afforestation programmes. There were a very small number of grant-aided ash planted prior to 1990 and if a forest owner can supply evidence of such grant-aided planting, their application under the Reconstitution Ash Dieback Scheme will be considered. If they meet the conditions of clearing and replanting under the reconstitution scheme they will then be eligible for the Climate Action Performance Payment.
The Reconstitution Scheme for Ash Dieback does state that “ash planted as a component of additional broadleaved plants in conifer plots is not eligible for the scheme”. The additional broadleaved planting referred to is mainly for landscaping purposes and in the main has featured alder and birch trees, with some other tree species, including ash. These tend to be a small number of trees that can be spread throughout a conifer stand or sometimes next to water courses. They are not accounted for as ash plots and are therefore not eligible under the Scheme.
In terms of the €79.5 million budget for the Climate Action Performance Payment this is based on an uptake of almost 16,000 hectares of ash forests grant aided since 1990 and even taking consideration of some planting prior to 1990 will I believe be sufficient to cover all applications.
