Eligibility requirements for the Ash Dieback Scheme is to change “with immediate effect” – and will now include sites over 25 years of age, according to Tipperary TD Michael Lowry.

The changes to the scheme have been welcomed – but they provide “nothing more that the owners of such plantations deserve”, the deputy said.

The independent TD was reacting to news from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine on Friday (July 23) that the rules have changed for eligibility for the scheme with immediate effect and includes all ash plantations over 7m in height and now also includes sites over 25 years of age.

In addition, any applications that have been received since June 22, and were refused as they were over 25 years old, will be reviewed and a fresh decision will issue.

Further support for Ash Dieback scheme needed

However, deputy Lowry said: “Much more is required to effectively address this escalating issue of Ash Dieback for owners, particularly regarding the requirement to obtain local authority planning permission to remove an ash plantation.

“Such a requirement is excessive if you wish to remove a diseased and dying ash tree and replace it with a conifer you are obliged to obtain planning permission to do so,” the TD added.

The Tipperary TD said he has a particular interest in this matter due to the heavy plantation of ash trees across Tipperary.

Ireland’s native ash trees are under serious threat from disease as a result of the arrival of Chalara (now Hymenocyphus fraxinea) in 2012. This has caused Ash Dieback – an infection that causes rapid decline and ultimately the death of young, middle-aged and mature ash trees across all of Ireland, deputy Lowry said.

This poses risks to landowners for both public safety and deterioration of woodland cover and the ecological, social and economic benefits these woodlands provide.

In turn, it is creating problems for forestry and woodland managers, as well as massively increasing tree related public safety.

The introduction of a new scheme by the department in June 2020 granted assistance to owners of ash trees if the trees were less than 25 years old or less that 17m in growth height. Changes to these requirements are now in effect, but the matter of obtaining planning permission remains.

“I will continue to fight for the owners of ash plantations in Tipperary and, in turn, across the country,” deputy Lowry.

“I intend to challenge the need for owners for obtain Planning Permission in order to remove an ash tree,” the TD concluded.