Leitrim forest owners feel abandoned as Ministers skip critical storm damage meeting

Frustration and anger were palpable at a meeting in Carrick-on-Shannon on Tuesday, February 18, where over 250 forest owners gathered to discuss the aftermath of Storm Éowyn, which wreaked havoc on plantations across the country. The meeting, organized by the Irish Forest Owners (IFO), was aimed at addressing the extensive damage to forestry in counties like Galway, Leitrim, and Sligo, but the absence of key government figures left many feeling ignored and unheard.

Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine Martin Heydon, along with Minister of State with responsibility for forestry, Michael Healy-Rae, failed to attend the event, despite the devastation caused by the storm. This lack of representation from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) only fueled the anger in the room, as forest owners voiced their concerns over the inadequate government response to the crisis.

Garrett Mullooly and Enda Keane from TreeMetrics Ltd. presented the scale of the damage, revealing that 4.1 million cubic meters of timber had been knocked down in the affected counties. Their research, supported by satellite images, showed that 11,750 hectares of forestry were impacted, with forest owners now facing the daunting task of salvaging their timber. With the value of forestry often plummeting by 40% to 60% after storms, the financial impact on many attendees was a major concern.

Derek McCabe, chairman of the IFO, described the situation as a “natural disaster” and expressed disappointment in the government’s failure to provide sufficient support. He emphasized the long-term investment many forest owners had made, relying on their plantations for retirement, only to have years of work undone in a matter of hours.

At the public meeting following Storm Éowyn organised by the Irish Forest Owners, and held in the Landmark Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon: l-r: Noel Gavigan, Irish BioEnergy Association, John Casey, Forestry Development Officer, Teagasc, Olive Leavy, National Coordinator, Irish Forest Owners, Derek McCabe, Chair, Irish Forest Owners, and Enda Keane, TreeMetrics. Pic – Gerry Faughnan

Teagasc's John Casey echoed the severity of the damage, explaining that Storm Éowyn had caused even more destruction than Storm Darwin in 2014. While the IFO and Teagasc pledged to offer guidance and support through regional events, McCabe and other attendees emphasized the need for urgent financial aid from the government.

The meeting also highlighted concerns about Coillte, the state-owned forestry company, which McCabe claimed held an unfair advantage in the market. He called for changes to allow small forest owners to sell timber by volume, as Coillte currently does, to help them compete in the market.

As the meeting concluded, forest owners left feeling that their voices had not been heard and that the government’s response to the crisis was far from adequate. Many are now left wondering how they will recover from the storm's devastating impact on their livelihoods.

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Derek McCabe, Chair of the Irish Forest Owners, addresses the meeting. Pic – Gerry Faughnan