'What price do we put on a life?' - Fitzmaurice on forestry corridors
Independent Ireland TD, Michael Fitzmaurice, has called for 60m forestry corridors, 30m either side, to be implemented throughout forestry across the country.
In a Dáil question, the Galway-Roscommon TD asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon about the setback distance from the roadside and near overhead wires for trees planted before Storm Éowyn, and about the licences the department has issued.
The minister said that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is in regular contact with ESB Networks in the aftermath of the storm.
On February 5, 2025, a decision was made by the government to request ESB Networks to develop a Winter 2025 Grid Resilience plan.
Minister Heydon said: "A key component of this plan will be the requirement to safeguard the electrical network that passes through forests.
"In this regard, ESB [has] engaged with my department, Coillte, the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, and I understand they are also engaging with the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA).
"I understand that amongst other items, a commitment to review forestry setbacks and corridors in relation to the safeguarding of the electrical network will form part of the plan.
"I understand, any new agreement on corridor widths will inform my department in updating their forestry related requirements," Minister Heydon added.
According to the minister, a setback strip of 10m is applied for broadleaves, and 20m for conifers, measured to the surface edge of the public road.
Deputy Fizmaurice told Agriland that there should be an "immediate decision" by the department on the distances required.
He said: "I’m stunned that if there are licences being given out at the moment, that trees are not going to be kept 30m back from the road, regardless of their monoculture.
"National broadband goes across every road in rural Ireland, and it has been decimated with trees, so has phone lines. The same goes for ESB wires.
"The distance the department are talking about, I don’t care if it’s one wire, or three wires, or five wires, 30m is 15m either side," Fitzmaurice added.
The Independent Ireland TD said he is frustrated by the current rules with forestry corridors.
"A tree grows 30m either side if it is a spruce tree, what are we playing at?" he said.
"They’re working at the moment. But if we’re putting out forestry licences, we should have the rule in the forestry section. End of story. What are we doing?
"Are we planting today that in 20 years time or 30 years' time, we’re going to cause the same problem. There should be an immediate decision made by the department on the distances required.
"Pay them for the ground, for biodiversity, but no trees should grow up round it. It’s the same for roads. This craic of trees growing out the sides of roads. What price do we put on a life?" he added.
