It is now estimated that the total area of forestry blown down after Storm Éowyn will be in the region of 23,625ha, following an initial satellite assessment of damage to Irish forests by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and Coillte.

The assessment provides estimated figures at a national level, as well as at a provincial level. As expected, Connacht is the most affected province.

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.

By comparison, less that half that amount of timber, 4.3 million cubic metres, was harvested from Ireland’s forests in all of 2023.

Minister of State with responsibility for forestry, Michael Healy-Rae, said: "While we have known from information supplied to us from forest owners and forestry companies that the damage levels were going to be well in excess of the damage from Storm Darwin (2014).

"This is the first statistically valid national assessment, and I wish to thank all those who have been part of putting it together. I understand that a more detailed analysis is also underway that will give a forest-by-forest assessment with a much greater degree of accuracy," the minister said.

The Forest Windblow Taskforce is set to meet for the third time next week, and will consider the findings of this report as part of its ongoing assessment of the range of actions required, the department said.

Minister Healy-Rae said: “The taskforce has got off to a very good start. To date we have clarified that existing clearfelling and thinning licences can be used to deal with windblown situations immediately, as well as what needs to be done by forest owners to prioritise their licensing applications where a licence is not already to hand.

The minister added: “We have organisations around the table representing forest owner groups, sawmillers, forestry companies, IFA, Teagasc, Coillte and my department.

"Having more than twice the annual cut on the ground represents an enormous challenge, but I have been impressed with the energy and commitment around the table to tackle every issue that this challenge presents," he said.

"I would also like to repeat what I have said on numerous occasions; this is a very difficult time for forest owners, but they can be absolutely assured that they are, and will, continue to be, at the centre of all of our deliberations at every meeting of the taskforce," the minister added.