Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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496. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if financial support will be provided to a person (details supplied) in Country Kerry whose forestry was completely destroyed in the recent storms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16359/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The storm earlier in the year has indeed been damaging to Irish forests particularly in the south of the country. In order to establish the most appropriate response for forest owners and the forest industry a taskforce, chaired by Mr. Tom Hayes TD, Minister of State, and comprising of the Irish Forest and Forest Products Association, the Irish Timber Growers Association, the Irish Farmers Association, Coillte Teoranta and Teagasc has been put in place to assess the damage nationally and to identify the various issues arising.

The taskforce has issued a guidance note for forest owners, laying down the steps to consider in safely harvesting and selling the fallen trees and giving advice on a range of other associated issues. Teagasc forestry advisers are available to discuss the issue with forest owners affected and Teagasc, in association with Coillte and my Department, have organised a number of field events for forest owners. Forest owners are also urged to get professional advice from qualified foresters to guide them through this process and to attend these windblow field days. While direct financial support is not being provided to those whose forests were destroyed in the storm, I can confirm that any premium payments that have not yet been paid for 2014 will be paid even if these forests have been affected by this windblow event.