‘Should have stayed at home’: Save Leitrim get no assurances from Healy-Rae meeting 

Members of the environmental group Save Leitrim have voiced their disappointment over what they perceive as the minister Healy-Rae’s indifference to local communities' concerns around forestry, following their meeting last week.

“He is the industry’s minister, and that’s it,” said Leitrim Councillor Justin Warnock, who, along with another member, Brynn Smyth, and Edwina Guckian, met the minister last week.

“Government policy is 'plant, baby, plant,' and that is it. No concern at all for local communities or the environment.”

The group has led a campaign strongly opposing the level of afforestation that has taken place in the county, which they feel is harming local residents and endangering communities in the area.

“The joke was that we couldn’t field a team the other week, but we aren’t even being given the chance to live and stay in our own county. Even farmers or young people who want to stay on the land can’t compete with the forestry companies. There’s something very wrong with that in 2025.”

The group raised concerns about afforestation and requested that it be made clear that Leitrim had reached capacity in terms of forestry cover, with 20.1% of the county covered, according to a 2023 Forestry Statistics Ireland report.

Save Leitrim has long sought reform of forestry policy to give local communities a bigger say in where forests are planted and to apply stronger consideration for the environment. Companies can easily get around making environmental impact statements when planning to plant forests in Leitrim, according to Cllr Warnock.

The meeting came a day after a delegation of representatives from Leitrim County Council, including Cathaoirleach Paddy O’Rourke, as well as councillors Gary Prior, Maeve Reynolds, Eddie Mitchell, and Brendan Barry, met with Minister Healy-Rae to discuss their concerns around forestry.

The flurry of meetings comes on the back of the damage caused by falling forestry during Storms Darragh and Éowyn, which left thousands in the county without electricity for weeks.

Cllr Warnock said that the next step for the group is to continue with their campaign of appealing forestry licenses. “We will be relentless in our pursuit of justice for the people and environment of Leitrim,” he said.

The office of Michael Healy-Rae was contacted for comment for this article but did not respond.

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