Minister visits Leitrim forest damaged during Storm Éowyn

Minister of State for Forestry, Horticulture and Farm Safety, Michael Healy-Rae TD, visited a forest damaged by Storm Éowyn at Curraun, near Mohill in County Leitrim on Wednesday.

The Minister was in the northwest to officially open a timber marketing event in Sligo organised by Teagasc, in collaboration with the Department and Forest Industries Ireland.

During his visit, the Minister reaffirmed his commitment to supporting affected forest owners.

He said, “Since I took office, the impact of Storm Éowyn has been, and remains, my priority. This is a very timely event in that context. It is very important that forest owners are aware of how best to market their timber, and of how to get up to date information on timber markets and price trends.”

“My advice to all affected forest owners is not to rush into any decisions, but to make a step-by-step plan to minimise risk and maximise the salvage value of their trees,” he added. “Most forests, despite being blown, can have considerable timber value, and will retain that value for some time, in particular if the tree is still connected to the roots.”

Teagasc Director, Professor Frank O’Mara told 150 forest owners, at the Talking Timber event, “With over 20 trade stands representing different sectors of the forest industry, this annual event in the Teagasc Forestry calendar provides a valuable opportunity for knowledge sharing and networking with the forestry sector across the country”.

He said, “Our message today is that Teagasc forestry staff are available and will continue to support forest owners and the sector in navigating through the current challenges posed by recent weather events”.

Storm Éowyn

Storm Éowyn on January 24th destroyed 23,625 hectares of forestry, leading to €500million in losses for commercial timber companies.

Insurance payments as a result of the damage caused by the storm are likely to be the highest on record, surpassing €300million.

In the first quarter of 2025, Ireland saw a 130% surge in new forestry planting compared to the same period in 2024, according to data released by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on Friday.

Since January, 627 hectares have been planted, with over 6,000 hectares licensed and ready for planting.

Ireland currently has more than 24,000 forest owners, including 19,500 farmers, who have planted trees.

The Forestry Programme 2023-27 offers twelve distinct forest types, alongside the small-scale Native Tree Area Scheme.