Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1091. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update on a compensation scheme for forestry affected by a disease (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1203/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The causal agent for the dieback and death of Japanese larch is an organism named Phytophthora ramorum which was first detected on Japanese larch in Ireland in 2010.

My Department is currently considering the matter raised by the deputy, having regard to the available funding, State Aid rules and other relevant factors.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1092. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will ensure that logs will be debarked coming from Scotland (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1240/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Following the finding and identification of three large larch bark beetles (Ips cembrae), by my Department officials, in an insect trap at the port of Passage West, Co. Cork in August 2024 the trade in coniferous roundwood from the Pest Free Area (PFA) of Scotland ceased on a precautionary basis.

Since then, my Department has retained close engagement with the Scottish authorities on the matter and has kept stakeholders informed. There has been no change in the status of this trade and it remains the case that there has been no exports of logs from the Scottish PFA into Ireland since August 2024.

EU plant health legislation* sets out the regulatory requirements for the exportation of coniferous roundwood into Ireland.

Specifically coniferous roundwood cannot be exported from Scotland into Ireland unless:

• It is accompanied by an Official Statement (Phytosanitary Certificate) certifying that the wood originates from an area known to be free from the pest or
• The wood is free of bark or
• The wood has been kiln dried to <20% moisture content and marked KD