Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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90. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a decision will be reached on grant aid for the re-establishment of forestries that were damaged in recent storms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40788/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of the difficulties that have been created for many forest owners as a result of the severe winter storms which occurred between 5^thDecember 2013 and the 12^thFebruary 2014.  The frequency and ferocity of those storm events, compounded by waterlogged soils on many forest sites, led to extensive damage to both private and State owned forests. While estimates, based on satellite imagery, indicate that less than 1% of the national forest area (approximately 8,000 hectares) was affected, the damage has been particularly extensive at a local level, especially in the south and parts of the midlands where substantial quantities of timber have been blown down.A taskforce, chaired by Mr Tom Hayes TD, Minister of State, was established to assess the damage nationally and to identify the various issues arising as a result of this severe windblow event and to agree on a course of action to deal with these issues. One of the many suggested action points arising from this task force was the establishment of a Windblow Reconstitution Scheme specifically for forests damaged as a result of the winter storms of 2013/2014. Staff of the Department have been working on the specific rules of this scheme in conjunction with forestry stakeholders and a draft scheme has been finalised. A proposal to seek funding for this scheme has been made to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and we are awaiting their response.