Salvaging Windblow Timber Following Storm Must Be a Priority

IFA Farm Forestry Chair Padraig Stapleton said there was good engagement with the new Minister of State with responsibility for Forestry, Michael Healy-Rae, at the second meeting of the Windblow Taskforce this week.

IFA highlighted to Minister Healy-Rae that there are precedents where Governments in Norway and Germany responded to such national emergencies. International help is essential.

The Dept told the meeting that a satellite imagery assessment will be completed shortly. This critical piece of work will give an accurate picture of the scale of the damage.

“We need experts who have dealt with such a crisis before to help with the emergency plan. Ireland does not have enough skillsets to deal with the clean-up of salvageable timber. The work must be co-ordinated to get as much timber salvaged as possible,” he said.

“Market vulnerability is now a pressing factor. Prices will drop significantly due to the unprecedented supply of timber. Therefore, the storage of timber is also an issue.”

He concluded “We have to wait on the Dept to issue another circular to give us better clarity on the scale of damage and for the commitments given by the Minister at the Windblow Taskforce meeting to be followed through”.