Just one in five or 20% of applicants have been accepted on to the Reconstitution and Under-planting Scheme (RUS) for farmers and landowners whose forestry was affected by ash dieback.

It’s estimated that 2,300 forest owners will need compensation, but just 304 applications have been received by the Department of Agriculture and even fewer, just 61, have been approved.

The information came to light in response to a parliamentary question from Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy, who was seeking information on how affected landowners would be recompensed.

The scheme has been criticised, but Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said there were no plans at present to change the provisions of the scheme.