The disease Ash dieback is a serious disease of ash trees caused by the invasive fungal pathogen Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (previously known as Chalara fraxinea), which originates in Asia and was brought to Europe in the early 90s. Today, the pathogen covers most of the natural range of ash in Europe causing high mortality rates of ash trees. Ash dieback was first detected in the Republic of Ireland in October 2012 on plants imported from continental Europe. The disease is now prevalent throughout most of the island of Ireland and is likely to cause the death of the majority of the ash trees over the next two decades. Currently the disease levels are such that it is no longer appropriate to manage ash as a crop and the objective now is to replace ash trees with alternative species.
Tax-free annual payments
Establishment and fencing grants
Increases biodiversity
EU Plant passports
Reconstitution Ash Dieback Scheme Through the Reconstitution Scheme, DAFM financial support can be made available for:
a) Site clearance: This involves the clearance of ash trees and associated operations in order to present the site for reconstitution.
b) Reconstitution: This involves the replacement of ash trees with alternative species following ash clearance