IT system not yet in place for ash dieback scheme, says Hackett

Vivienne Clarke

Minister of State Pippa Hackett, has acknowledged that the IT system necessary to process claims for the €80million ash dieback scheme which is due to be approved by Cabinet on Tuesday, has not yet been developed and could “take a month or two” to be completed.

The compensation package, which is expected to help around 6,000 farmers, should be in place before the end of the year, Ms Hackett told RTÉ radio’s Today with Claire Byrne show.

“This a very good day for farmers across the country who have ash plantations affected by ash (dieback). This is a significant package. It's almost €80 million. That's to be used to support 6500 farmers. And this goes a long way, I think, to instilling confidence in them and in the sector itself moving forward. So, I think it will be warmly received.”

Ms Hackett added that there would be options for landowners who do not want to get back into forestry. The compensation was to support site care with a variety of options such as agroforestry, which is trees that are spaced out so that livestock could move through them.

When asked about the low levels of participation in previous compensation schemes, the Minister said it was important for farmers to engage with the system.

“The first stage for any farmer interested in this, if they haven't already engaged with the reconstitution schemes that have been available and currently are available, is to engage with that first stage.

"They need to have completed the reconstitution part of the scheme, and then they can avail of this. And that's why I've been encouraging farmers all the way along to continue to engage with the reconstitution scheme. Don't wait.”

Ms Hackett said she anticipated that the first payments would be made before the end of the year, but that farmers who were already in the system could expect a quicker turnaround.

An IT system capable of dealing with applications has not yet been “sorted out”, she said. “But I would imagine within a month or so the particular element of it will be available to farmers to apply for. And I would expect to see farmers paid before the end of the year.”

Ms Hackett said the specific IT system had not yet been examined, but now that an agreement had been reached on the compensation scheme “we can build a system around that. And that'll that will only take a matter of a month or two.”

An ash dieback task force will also be established, she said. “Where all the stakeholders can come together, plan this out over however long this might take. And to discuss any issues they may well have with that. And I think, all in all, it's a positive thing.”