Forestry growers have been formally invited to join a stakeholder group tasked with addressing the fallout from ash dieback, the Irish Farmers Journal has learned.

Letters were issued this week by the Department of Agriculture to bodies representing forestry growers asking if they wished to take part in what is termed an ash dieback taskforce.

Stakeholder representation was a key recommendation of the independent review team which examined the Department of Agriculture’s response to ash dieback.

The Department and Minister of State, Pippa Hackett – who has responsibility for forestry – have faced serious criticism for the delay in addressing the issues highlighted in the independent review which reported last October.

The establishment of the stakeholder review group has been broadly welcomed by growers, although with some reservations.

Simon White of the Limerick Tipperary Woodland Owners said growers were anxious to work with Minister Hackett but warned that they would not be used to “rubber stamp” an implementation plan on ash dieback.

“In accepting to join Minister Hackett’s taskforce I have asked for terms of reference for the taskforce and a copy of the latest proposed implementation plan to see where it falls short of the recommendations of her review,” White said.

“I look forward to working with her Department to resolve this urgent ash dieback crisis. Time is running out to sort this out. We want to be able to endorse this implementation plan but it will only succeed if it has the ability to address the key issues facing ash dieback affected growers,” he added.

The Irish Forestry Owners (IFO) is also represented on the taskforce.

“The success of the new forestry programme depends on the efficiency and speed with which the taskforce carries out its work,” IFO’s Olive Leavy added.

“We look forward to the publication of the terms of reference and timelines for the taskforce, and to a collaborative delivery on all the recommendations of the ash dieback report,” Leavy said.