Government Warns Farmers: Act Now on Ash Dieback Compensation or Lose Out

Minister Healy-Rae has delivered a stark ultimatum to Irish farmers: engage with the ash dieback reconstitution scheme by December 2027 or forfeit substantial compensation packages worth up to €100,000 per affected landowner.

With over 55% of Ireland's 16,000-hectare national ash plantation already processed through the scheme, representing 8,844 hectares paid out, approved, or currently being assessed, the Minister's message to the remaining 7,000-plus hectares of affected land is uncompromising.

A Generous Package Under Threat

The current reconstitution scheme offers landowners €10,000 per hectare, broken down into €2,000 for clearing, €3,000 for replanting, and a €5,000 tax-free payment directly to the owner. For farmers with significant ash holdings, this represents life-changing sums.

"For a farmer with 10 hectares of decimated ash, walking away from this scheme means walking away from €100,000," the Minister emphasised. "It's going to be a massive loss to them and their families."

The Minister urged farmers to look beyond the "dead trees standing" and embrace what he described as a "very adequate" package, stressing that time is running out for this unprecedented government intervention.

Sinn Féin Highlights Rural Devastation

Sinn Féin's Agriculture Spokesperson, Martin Kenny, painted a sobering picture of rural Ireland's current struggles, describing the "lifetime of loss" facing farming communities hit by both recent storms and the ongoing ash dieback crisis.

Deputy Kenny highlighted how landowners who viewed forestry as a "pension fund" now face a "tangled mess" of fallen Sitka Spruce, warning that unlike failed crops or livestock diseases, storm damage to mature forests represents a generational setback.

"It's a permanent change of land use," Kenny noted, "and people are saying 'not anymore' when they see what has happened."

Government Stands Firm on Support

Despite acknowledging the devastating impact of recent storms, Minister Healy-Rae remained resolute about the scheme's terms and the broader forestry sector's resilience. He pointed to rising afforestation figures, noting that more people planted new ground in the previous year despite witnessing storm damage elsewhere.

"I understand facts," the Minister stated. "More people planted new ground last year than the year before. They knew what happened to others, and they still elected to give over their land."

When challenged about the high costs of clearing windblow and poor pulpwood prices, the Minister referenced a €55 million reconstitution fund designed specifically to cover replanting costs, ensuring farmers don't need to reinvest timber sales into new plantations.

Time Running Out for Rural Communities

The Minister's December 2027 deadline gives affected farmers just 24 months to make crucial decisions about their land use. For many rural families, this represents their last opportunity to salvage value from devastated ash plantations.

"It is a lot better to be looking at a small tree growing than an old tree dying," the Minister concluded. "For goodness sake, why let time go? Time is more valuable than money."

This scheme represents one of the most significant government interventions in Irish forestry, offering rural communities a pathway through an environmental crisis that has fundamentally altered the landscape of Irish agriculture.