The €55 million Reconstitution Scheme for Windblow will "boost confidence" in forestry.

This is according to Forest industries Ireland (FII), the national trade association for the forestry and timber industries within Ibec.

FII has today (Thursday, February 5) welcomed the launch of the scheme, to support forest owners after the impact of storms Daragh and Éowyn in early 2025.

Through the Reconstitution Scheme for Windblow, financial support can be made available for reconstitution of windblown forests as a result of the storms.

This involves the restoration of wind-damaged forest areas following tree clearance.

The scheme will be administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. It will be operational from February 9, 2026.

Support for forestry

Mark McAuley, director of FII, said this support for forest owners following the immense damage of the storms in early 2025 is "hugely welcome".

"The scheme will pay for the replanting of forests blown down by the storms," McAuley said. 

"Credit is due to Minister Michael Healy-Rae and his officials in the Forest Service for getting this €55 million scheme over the line.

"This represents a huge vote of confidence in the forest sector and demonstrates the government’s desire to support forest owners and see the forest sector flourish into the future."

Major impact

McAuley said that the storms had a "major impact" on forest owners and the entire forest products supply chain.

"The industry has invested in extra capacity and is working overtime to bring to market all of the downed timber," he said.

"With 26,000 hectares of forest affected, this is a long and arduous process but one which the forest sector is working hard at."

McAuley added that government and industry are "doing everything they can" to increase confidence in forestry.

"The planting of new forests increased in 2025 to 2,500 hectares and we need to continue this growth trajectory," he said.

"But, we still do not have enough farmers taking an interest in the afforestation schemes and following through to plant new forests."