Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

At this first opportunity since my elevation to the Cabinet, I thank everyone in the House for their good wishes. I look forward to working with everybody on all sides of both Houses of the Oireachtas to deliver for our crucial agriculture, marine, food and drink sector, which is so important to our overall economy.

The agriculture sector has been significantly impacted by Storm Éowyn due to prolonged power and water outages. The first priority was to support farmers in working to ensure we got their power and water restored. I have visited and spoken to many farmers who were directly impacted by the storm. Up in Leitrim last week, I saw at first hand the impact on dairy farmers and their livestock, in the calving season and beyond. It is a very difficult space to be in when one does not have water and power.

I take this opportunity to recognise the significant assistance farmers have provided in their local communities. Over and beyond looking after their stock and the challenges faced by them and their families, the farming community provided help within the wider local community at this busy time. They looked after neighbours, cleared roads where it was safe to do so and helped to restore access in more remote areas.

The severe storm has resulted in significant damage to protected structures, particularly in the horticulture sector, sheds on farms and extensive damage to trees both on farms and in forestry plantations.

I urge farmers to put their safety first. Given all of the challenges facing them when carrying out repairs and removing fallen trees in the aftermath of Storm Éowyn, I ask them to properly assess the risks of the work they are undertaking and to keep themselves safe.

I am aware of the reports of significant damage in the horticulture sector. As I said, my officials are engaging with Teagasc and other stakeholders to assess the extent and significance of the damage caused. Teagasc has been in contact with commercial growers across multiple horticultural subsectors. In some cases, growers are still assessing the situation and are unable to provide data. Indeed, the extent of the data will only become clear when repairs commence and crops develop. Nevertheless, based on preliminary data, the damage is more pronounced for protected crops, in particular the mushroom sector. Damage to polytunnels has resulted in significant damage to or total loss of the plastic covering, as well as structural damage to some tunnels. Glasshouses have been impacted, with loss of panes of glass and structural damage to the house and fixed structures within the house. There has been some level of structural damage to mushroom tunnels, as well as to those structures with plastic coverings. In some cases, there have been varying levels of damage to crops and plants, with knock-on impacts on production schedules.

I am working with my colleague, the Minister of State with responsibility for forestry, horticulture and farm safety, Deputy Michael Healy-Rae. He will meet representatives of horticultural subsectors at the horticulture industry forum next Tuesday, 11 February. This will provide an opportunity for growers to speak directly about the impact of the storm on their sector, as well as the wider sectoral issues and opportunities. I too have been engaging with a number of growers across the sectors. There has been extensive damage to trees on both farms and forestry plantations, as I said. In addition to the existing structures, the Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae, and I have established a wind-blown forestry task force comprising stakeholders from across the sector. The task force, which met this week, will inform my Department on the wider sector's response to the storms, with particular emphasis on dealing with safety in large areas of forest that have been blown down and how we will tackle that.

My Department is working as part of the co-ordinated Government response through the National Emergency Co-ordination Group convened by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which is the lead Government Department on severe weather incidents. The National Emergency Co-ordination Group continues to co-ordinate the intensive work across the whole of government to restore power, water, telecommunications and other services to homes, farms and businesses.

With regard to farm inspections, the Department is aware that some farms have sustained significant damage and we will take inspections on a case-by-case basis.

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