Ministers announce the commencement of Ash Dieback Climate Action Performance payments to forest owners
- Published on: 22 October 2024
- Last updated on: 25 October 2024
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, and Minister of State with responsibility for forestry in the department, Senator Pippa Hackett, today announced the commencement of payments under the Climate Action Performance Payment (CAPP) Scheme to forest owners affected by ash dieback.
Minister Hackett stated:
“I am very happy to announce that the first payments under the Climate Action Performance Payment Scheme have now been made. These will accelerate in the coming weeks, with payments totalling €1.83 million expected to be made to a first tranche comprising 158 forest owners. The CAPP Scheme is a very significant part of the Ash Dieback Action Plan that I launched in May of this year, and I am particularly pleased that payments have commenced in accordance with my department’s commitment to the Ash Dieback Task Force that this would happen before the end of 2024.”
Minister McConalogue also welcomed the issuing of payments and said:
“The Climate Action Performance Payment of €5,000 per hectare is part of the Ash Dieback Action Plan, which includes an overall financial package of up to €237 million for forest owners impacted by ash dieback disease. The payments commencing this week offer recognition to ash owners who have already engaged in clearing their sites and replanting. I join with my colleague, Minister of State Hackett, in encouraging all ash owners to apply under the Reconstitution Scheme and become eligible to apply for the CAPP scheme."
Looking ahead, Minister Hackett said:
“CAPP payments will continue to issue on a regular basis, and my department is dealing very quickly with all applications received. I would therefore urge all owners of forests affected by ash dieback who have not yet engaged with a Reconstitution Scheme to apply now for support under the Reconstitution Ash Dieback Scheme (RADS) 2023-2027. This is the first step in a process that will result in the payment of site clearance grants, replanting grants and the €5,000 CAPP payment - a very attractive package that I would again urge all affected forest owners to avail of.”
To apply for support, forest owners should contact a registered forester to make an application on their behalf. Once they have cleared their sites and replanted, they will become eligible for the CAPP Scheme.
For those who have cleared their sites of ash and replanted under a reconstitution scheme, step-by-step guidance on applying for the CAPP scheme is available at gov.ie/ashdiebacksupports.
Notes
The new Item was unpublished or removed (CAPP) of €5,000/ha is available for ash forest owners affected by ash dieback. Current owners of an ash forest established with grant support will be eligible to receive the CAPP when their sites have been cleared and they have carried out replanting, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Reconstitution Ash Dieback Scheme.
The CAPP is paid in three instalments, as follows:
- €2,500 can be applied for after 1st grant under an ash reconstitution scheme
- €1,250 can be applied for after 2nd grant under an ash reconstitution scheme if the forest owner is out of premiums or at the end of their premiums if they are still in receipt
- €1,250 can be applied for the following year
Ash forest owners who have previously joined one of the following department schemes are eligible for the CAPP payment, provided that they have replanted and are the current forest owner:
- Reconstitution Scheme Ash Dieback 2013
- Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (Ash Dieback) 2020
- Interim Reconstitution Scheme for Ash Dieback 2023
- Reconstitution for Ash Dieback Scheme (RADS) 2023 – 2027
The department has developed an accessible system to apply for CAPP payments, which are exempted from income tax by virtue of section 232(2) TCA .