Fianna Fáil MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú has this week contacted the Taoiseach to clarify when a new minister of state for forestry will be appointed.

Last month, Michael Healy-Rae resigned as a junior minister in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) over the government's handling of the fuel crisis.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has confirmed that the vacant ministerial position will be filled "in the next while", but did not provide an exact timeframe.

Forestry

MEP Ní Mhurchú said it is "critically important that a dedicated forestry minister for state is appointed as soon as possible considering the many issues that pervade the sector, not least of which is the urgent need to effectively manage the ash dieback crisis".

The Ireland South MEP noted that Ireland has a target of planting 8,000ha per year by 2030.

However, she said that "reporting is consistently disappointing as midway through 2025 only 1,421ha of new forest had been planted".

"It's not hard to connect the lack of enthusiasm for the 2023-2027 Afforestation Scheme with the overriding lack of trust and frustration among the forestry and farming community due to the ongoing ash dieback crisis," she said.

The MEP claimed that "successive programmes and plans have failed to adequately support those farmers facing huge financial losses due to the crisis, who were encouraged to participate in the original scheme to promote ash plantations".

"There is also the issue of a total wipeout of our own indigenous trees, which is very upsetting for me personally, but even more so for those people who have had to watch their crop wither and die before their eyes," Ní Mhurchú said.

Ash dieback

The current assistance scheme, the Ash Dieback Climate Action Performance Payment (CAPP) was introduced in 2024 and brings the total financial package of supports available to ash forest owners to over €230 million.

However, Ní Mhurchú said she is concerned that only around €30 million has been spent to date and that the scheme will close to new applicants at the end of 2027.

"This is a clear sign that the scheme is not fit for purpose and it is a shame that the recommendations of the 2023 'Review of Support for Farmers Impacted by Ash Dieback' were never fully implemented," she said.

The MEP said for many sites, the revised clearance rate does not cover the costs of harvesting, while farmers who are ready and willing to harvest are faced with contractors still tied up with clearance following Storm Éowyn.

This makes the closing date of the scheme to new applicants at the end of 2027 a grave concern for the sector.

Minister

Ní Mhurchú said if a new minister for forestry cannot be found - and soon - it may be time for new thinking in the sector.

"I can’t believe we are still lacking a development agency for forestry which could really drive towards our afforestation goals, find markets abroad, help with training and generational renewal and actually plan for the future.

"Ireland has the perfect climate for successful forestry enterprises, but it now requires trust, planning and leadership.

"Even without a dedicated minister, a national development agency could go a long way to addressing these issues”, Ní Mhurchú said.