*Cllr Pat Burke. Photograph: Gary Collins
A WHITEGATE councillor has said the Ash Dieback disease “is a virus nearly worse than COVID-19”.
Anger with the lack of progress made by Minister of State for Forestry, Senator Pippa Hackett (GP) was voiced by Cllr Pat Burke (FG) at Monday’s sitting of Clare County Council. He said it was time for the Junior Minister to address the concerns of farmers and landowners who Ash Tree plantations have suffered as a result.
Ash dieback is a serious disease of ash trees caused by the invasive fungal pathogen Hymenoscyphus fraxineus 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.
It 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. The disease can affect ash trees of any age and in any setting. The disease can be fatal, particularly among younger trees. Ash dieback is more severe in wet sites, where it is more likely to cause collar infections in ash trees.
“She has let us down big time on this issue,” Cllr Burke said of the Junior Minister. “I’m not sure if it’s because she is a Senator that she hasn’t adequate powers or what it is,” he stated. “Ash dieback is a virus nearly worse than COVID,” the two-time Leas Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council remarked.
Most of the ash trees planted in recent decades will be killed off because of the disease, he lamented. “Bureaucratic” obstacles are preventing the Ash Dieback replanting scheme from having much benefit, Burke felt. The scheme provides financial support to help replant forests affected by the disease. “Sad is the only way I can sum it up,” he concluded.
An amount of farmers in Clare were encouraged to plant native hardwoods but have left been disappointed, Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) said as he referenced “a whole fiasco around our forest service and felling licences”. He added, “People in goodwill planted for the future in woodlands and they were let down, we all know about the history of hurling in Clare,” the Chairman of Killanena GAA club continued.
Plans for a hurling plantation came undone in Clonlara when three acres worth of ash became infected with the disease, Cllr Michael Begley (IND) said.
Under a new scheme disease resistant ash trees are to be created, Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) flagged as she reminded councillors she tabled a motion on the subject before the Shannon Municipal District earlier this year.
Ash dieback has been “a huge problem” under previous Ministers, Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF) highlighted. He believed the matter was fall ball “between stools. The problem needs to be rectified as soon as possible. Burn it or bury it, whatever they’ve to do get more forestry back”. Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) maintained it was time for Minister Hackett to get moving to put a solution in place.
Several community groups that became involved in neighbourwood schemes during 2007 and 2008 have been impacted, Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) commented.
Cllr Liam Grant (GP) told the meeting he was happy to raise the issue with Senator Hackett to see if she can address the problem for farmers, “it is disappointing that this issue has developed”.
