The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 19 Jan, 2024

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Agriculture

Period 1 Sep, 2023 to 31 Dec, 2023

Specific Details Ash Dieback

Intended results To urge the Government to introduce a new scheme to properly support and compensate those farmers affected by Ash Dieback as per the recommendations of the Ash Dieback report established by the Minister of State, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. by To highlight that the findings of the report are in line with a comprehensive submission made by IFA to the review group. To emphasise that the new scheme to be introduced by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine must 1. Have a simplified approval process for site clearance. 2. The full cost of site clearance and regeneration should be covered by grant aid, with additional support available for clearance of challenging sites. 3. A review of re-establishment and maintenance costs, taking account of need for more intensive and regular maintenance associated with re-establishment forests. 4. The introduction of a bespoke re-establishment annual payment consistent with the general rates available under the new Forestry Programme. 5. Explore the potential for a one-off ex gratia payment in recognition of the absence of an effective scheme between 2018 and 2023.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Tim Cullinan IFA President, Jason Fleming IFA Farm Forestry Chair, Joe Kelly IFA Regional Executive

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (2-5)

Meeting (2-5)

Informal communication (2-5)

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Barry Delany Director (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Clare Curley Director of Services or Equivalent (Tipperary County Council)

Eamon Lonergan Acting Director of Service (Tipperary County Council)

Jackie Cahill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joe McGrath Chief Executive Officer (Tipperary County Council)

Karl Cashen Director of Services or Equivalent (Tipperary County Council)

Marcus O'Connor Director of Services or Equivalent (Tipperary County Council)

Pat Slattery Director of Services or Equivalent (Tipperary County Council)

Paul Savage Assistant Secretary (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Pippa Hackett Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Sinead Carr Director of Services or Equivalent (Tipperary County Council)

Michael Collins Councillor (Limerick City and County Council)

Michael Fitzmaurice TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Ring TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joe Flaherty TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Kehoe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Claire Kerrane TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brian Leddin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Johnny Mythen TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Tim Lombard Senator (Seanad)

Victor Boyhan Senator (Seanad)

Lynn Boylan Senator (Seanad)

Paul Daly Senator (Seanad)

Denis O'Donovan Senator (Seanad)