Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 16 July 2025

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food

Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion

2:00 am

Photo of Michael Healy-RaeMichael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

No. Many of our mills were only operating at 60% capacity. I know that from speaking to mill operators, but they have the ability to deal with the additional windblown material. I will put it the Deputy this way; they are busy enough and will be getting busier because of the fact I stated earlier, which is that, today, 95% of the harvesting equipment in Ireland is working on windblown sites. Our hauliers are delivering that timber to our sawmills and they are working very effectively together.