Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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565. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to avail of assistance from the EU solidarity fund following the damage caused to his forestry after the recent storm Éowyn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9232/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The EU Solidarity Fund was established by the European Union to respond to major natural disasters and major public health emergencies. For the purposes of the Fund, a major natural disaster is defined as one that results in direct damage in a Member State estimated either at over €3bn in 2011 prices or more than 0.6% of Gross National Income (GNI).

An application may also be made when the damage is below this national threshold. For these circumstances to apply a region must have suffered a ‘regional natural disaster’. This means any natural disaster resulting, in a region at NUTS level 2 of an eligible State, in direct damage in excess of 1.5 % of that region’s gross domestic product (GDP).

My Department has completed an initial satellite assessment of damage to Irish forests from Storms Darragh and Eowyn and has estimated that the total area blown down will be in the region of 23,652 hectares. While my Department recognises that the recent Storms Darragh and Éowyn have caused varying degrees of damage around the country, including significant damage to trees, the EU solidarity fund is not an appropriate mechanism in this instance.

The initial damage estimate along with the more high-resolution satellite images that will become available over the coming weeks will inform any necessary next steps including the consideration of any potential support for affected forest owners, within an appropriate framework.

Alongside Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae, I have invited key stakeholders to participate in a taskforce to ensure that storm-damaged forests are managed safely and appropriately. The Taskforce is meeting regularly and working collaboratively to address all issues arising.