Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 September 2016
1606. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason funding is being provided for only 2000 ha under the windblown reconstitution scheme when it is estimated that 8,000 ha were affected. [26259/16]
View answerStorm force winds occurred on 12 separate days between the 5th December 2013 and the 12th February 2014. The most severe windstorm, named ‘Storm Darwin’, occurred on the 12th February 2014. The frequency and ferocity of these storm events, compounded by waterlogged soils on many sites, led to extensive damage on private and State-owned forest lands. Under the Reconstitution Scheme (Windblow), the State will make a financial contribution towards the cost of replanting these sites as a once-off measure for this specific weather event.
Using RapidEye satellite imagery, the extent of the damage caused by this weather event was estimated to be in the order of 8,000 ha of which 75% is owned by Coillte; the remainder is privately owned. As the scheme is only open to privately owned forests, the total eligible area has been fixed at 2,000 ha.
