The Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (LTWO) is calling for a new government scheme to help landowners and farmers impacted by ash dieback.
The comments follow the publication of an independent review of government supports for plantation owners affected by the disease.
The review, commissioned by Minister of State for land use and biodiversity Pippa Hackett, said that ash dieback requires a state-led national and rapid coordinated response.
It said that the current clearance grant of €2,000 is reasonable, but additional “exceptional costs” should be considered for particularly challenging cases.
The report calls for government to look at current costs for re-establishment and maintenance of new ash plantations, taking into account “the need for more intensive and regular maintenance due to the particular challenges associated with re-establishment”.
Minister Hackett said she is now working with her officials to implement the recommendations contained in the report.
The minister said it is important that remaining ash plantation are cleared “without undue further delay” and encouraged landowners to apply to the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (RUS).
“I also want to stress my clear intention that any forest owner who applies to this scheme, or who availed of the 2020 reconstitution scheme, will not be disadvantaged by any changes made as a result of the independent review process,” she said.
Ash dieback
Chair of the LTWO ash dieback committee Simon White said that the response from Minister Hackett to the review is “unacceptable”.
“It is an absolute insult to those with trees affected by this devastating disease for her to encourage them to sign up to the RUS on an assurance that any changes, if any, to be made would be available to them,” he said.
“This scheme is defunct and must be abolished forthwith. A new scheme, encompassing all the measures recommended in her review, needs to be introduced without delay.
“Permission must be granted now to start clearing the dead and dying trees. No more time wasting.
“As explained in the report, each day that goes by increases the loss to growers,” White added.
He said the need for the minister and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to “review the findings of their review” is “disturbing”.
“Never have we witnessed an issue with such consistent avoidance and kicking the can further down the road.
“As the minister calls it exciting times in forestry, she seems oblivious to the fact that until we see proper support for people who grow the trees we need to achieve maximum climate change mitigation landowners will not plant.
“She needs to restore confidence. Words are too cheap now and will not do this. We need to see action,” White said.