Ash dieback disease - Tree killer in 10 counties

There seemed an inevitability that the destructive ash dieback disease would spread through the country’s forests, but the confirmation that disease has been found in 22 locations across 10 counties is still disappointing.

Though some EU assistance to re-establish damaged woodlands may be available it seems only a matter of time before almost all of Ireland’s ash trees succumb to the ravages of the fungus. This has already happened in other European countries, notably Denmark where the great majority of ash trees have been hit.

Some forestry owners might prefer to remove all ash even before the fungus strikes and replant with a species of tree that is, as far as these things can be, guaranteed to reach maturity and eventually return a yield. In such circumstances any aid forthcoming from the EU might be made available retrospectively.