Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1304.To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will give further consideration to the provision of financial assistance to persons who do not have forest plantations and are not availing of any forestry schemes who need to have ash dieback trees removed on their property adjacent to public roads from a safety point of view; if he is aware that there are substantial costs for individuals and households in having such diseased trees removed; if he is aware that this issue is particularly of concern to households on low incomes such as persons in receipt of pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.[35982/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1245 and 1304 together.

My Department has introduced a comprehensive Action Plan on Ash Dieback which provides comprehensive supports to landowners who planted ash plantations under a grant-aided scheme overseen by my Department.

There are no plans to extend the scheme.

My Department supported the Tree Council of Ireland in publishing guidelines for managing roadside trees. This document is available on the Tree Council of Ireland’s websitewww.treecouncil.ieand on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine website:www.gov.ie/en/publication/642e6-forestry/gov.ie