| At the national Ash Dieback conference on Saturday, farmers continued their calls for meaningful support from Government. SEEFA also ask that adequate support is made available for farmers as a matter of urgency, and asks if anyone believes the current situation is acceptable. In November, the Taoiseach and Minister McConalogue launched a €1.3 billion war chest for the next forestry programme. Now four months on, the forestry programme is not yet sanctioned and is a mirror image of the management of the forestry licencing scandal in its sixth year. In the midst of this, owners of Ash plantations infected with Ash dieback cannot even apply for approval to deal with the disease Does anyone really believe the next programme can be successful if confidence is not restored to the farming community by addressing serious issues such as Ash dieback? |
