The failure of Minister for State Pippa Hackett to meet with forestry growers impacted by ash dieback was severely criticised by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture.

A scathing review of the Department of Agriculture’s performance on ash dieback had recommended that affected growers be included in a taskforce to map a way forward for dealing with the disease.

However, the Limerick Tipperary Woodland Owners (LTWO) group told the Oireachtas Committee on Wednesday evening that they had not been contacted by the Department, five weeks after the review’s publication.

“The committee will raise the failure of the minister to meet with ash dieback growers, and why the processes mentioned in the report haven’t been started,” said committee vice-chair, Senator Paul Daly.

In the LTWO's opening address to the committee, the group commended Minister Hackett for “finally commissioning an independent review” of ash dieback.

However, LTWO chairman Simon White said growers were fearful the review will end up “gathering dust” on a shelf.

“This review will only be of benefit if the recommendations are implemented,” he told the committee.

No 'rapid response' from Hackett

The review described ash dieback as a national emergency and called for a rapid response but this has not happened, the committee heard.

“There has been no engagement with Minister Hackett although growers were supposed to be consulted,” White told the committee.

“Where is the urgency? They are sitting on sitting on their hands,” he said.

White reiterated his view that a fair and equitable compensation package for growers with ash dieback was essential to rebuild farmer confidence in forestry.

“If it [ash dieback] is not dealt with now, forestry in Ireland is finished,” White claimed.

“If they continue the way they are going, this minister and this Government will go down as the Government that took down Irish forestry,” he maintained.

LTWO vice-chair John O’Connell called on Minister Hackett to immediately allow plantation owners to remove diseased ash trees.

“The minister should sign off tonight on allowing us to take out our dying ash,” O’Connell said.

Roscommon-Galway TD Michael Fitzmaurice agreed.

“We need a waiver to clear [infected] sites,” he said.

Meanwhile, committee chairman Jackie Cahill questioned why State aid rules were being cited by Minister Hackett and senior Department officials as an obstacle to granting compensation to growers who have suffered serious financial losses as a result of ash dieback.

Livestock farmers

Cahill pointed out that livestock farmers get direct payments from Brussels, but are still entitled to TB compensation.

If the same rationale were applied to forestry, then growers who were hit with ash dieback would be compensated, the Tipperary TD claimed.