Minister of State for Forestry, Horticulture and Farm Safety, Michael Healy-Rae has reaffirmed his commitment to supporting forest owners in the wake of significant storm damage.

This follows the third meeting of the Windblow Taskforce, which has estimated 24,000ha of windblow damage - more than twice the annual cut.

There is an approximately even split between public and private forests. It is estimated that around 10 million cubic metres of timber has been affected, predominantly in spruce plantations older than 20 years of age.

"We now have an approximation of the damage done, and the focus must be on ensuring the sector has the capacity to manage this crisis," Minister Healy-Rae said.

"I commend all involved in the taskforce for their proactive and constructive engagement, and we will continue working systematically to address the challenges faced by affected landowners," the minister added.

Minister Healy-Rae reassured forest owners that those with the necessary licenses can proceed with clearance and replanting without fear of being disadvantaged in future assistance schemes.

“I know many forest owners want to move quickly to recover their losses. While discussions on additional support are ongoing, I can confirm that any work undertaken now will not affect eligibility for potential future assistance," the minister said.

Minister Healy-Rae launched two enhanced decision-support tools—the Tree Volume and Carbon Calculator and the Felling Decision Tool—which will assist forest owners in making informed management decisions.

These tools provide key financial insights, helping assess timber revenues over a forest cycle and weigh the risks of early felling versus potential further windblow damage.

The minister also encouraged affected landowners to engage with industry bodies such as The Irish Forest Owners, Teagasc, and SEEFA, which are actively providing guidance through events and one-on-one clinics.

Teagasc will assist rolling out the decision support tools at the various Teagasc-led events - talking Timber and one-to-one clinics.