Leitrim delegation to meet minister Healy-Rae tomorrow over forestry

A delegation of Leitrim councillors will meet with Minister for Forestry Michael Healy-Rae tomorrow morning (Wednesday) regarding forestry issues in Leitrim.

The group, which includes Cathaoirleach Paddy O’Rourke, as well as councillors from each municipal district—Gary Prior, Maeve Reynolds, Eddie Mitchell, and Brendan Barry—will address the matter with the minister.

“We are going to speak to him about the hardship that has been inflicted on the people of Leitrim,” said Cathaoirleach O’Rourke. “We expect that he will have some answers for us on how this can be prevented from happening again.”

After Storm Eowyn, there were calls for the new Minister for Forestry, Michael Healy-Rae, to visit Leitrim to see the damage caused. It was met with disappointment that he did not make the trip.

Leitrim is consistently one of the worst-affected counties nationwide after major storms, largely due to fallen forestry. Storm Darragh and Storm Eowyn, in particular, left thousands of residents without power for weeks.

Areas across Leitrim often lose power due to fallen trees damaging powerlines throughout the year. “There is no other county in Ireland that suffered the same as Leitrim because of the intense afforestation,” said O’Rourke.

The group has a number of issues to raise with the minister, including seeking clarification on who is authorized to remove trees belonging to forestry owners that have fallen onto private property.

They will also ask for compensation for farmers whose land was damaged by the storms and address the issue of forestry near power lines in the county, according to O’Rourke.

“We need assurance that the regulations regarding the planting of trees in and around powerlines will be addressed once and for all in an appropriate manner,” said O’Rourke.

Leitrim County Council has had previous meetings with ministers for forestry regarding the county's opposition to over-deforestation and planning licenses. These meetings have not been fruitful, but O’Rourke believes this one must be different.

“This is about people who have no connection with forestry being impacted… We are looking for commitments that will ensure regulations are put in place so this will never be allowed to happen again,” he added.

A delegation from Save Leitrim will also meet with Minister Healy-Rae on Wednesday.

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