As we go to press there are still almost 200,000 farms and rural householders across the island without power. This is almost one week after strong winds ripped through rural Ireland, destroying sheds, farms and businesses. Once again, farmers and rural householders were largely left to fend for themselves in clearing up and keeping power in rural Ireland.

While we have to call out the good work of those on the front line, the deficit in long-term investment and strategic planning in the electricity network is clear. Yes, the scale of the storm might be enormous and much more than anything we have experienced of late, with a requirement to replace 3,000 poles and 9,000km of new cables.

However, have we really focussed on how resilient rural homes and farms are in keeping their homes, farms and rural Ireland alive?

Clearly compensation and support schemes are needed for individuals that have been badly affected. The storm has also reinforced the very basic need in new homes in rural Ireland of at least leaving the option of a timber stove possible in new builds. The other rethink many have been discussing in recent days is at least the option to draw energy from owned solar panels rather than the grid only. Having this solar investment that many have without the wiring option and set up to supply energy to the house makes little sense.

Forest damage

The devastation caused by storm Éowyn to forests, especially in the west and northwest, requires an immediate response from Government to this natural disaster. This should begin with the temporary suspension of the felling licence requirement, along with a co-ordinated approach to the harvesting and sale of windblown trees by growers, timber processors, contractors and the Department.

The precedent is there from other European countries faced with storm, disease and fire damage. In Sweden, flattened forests were being harvested within days of storm Gudrun in 2005, as outlined by Donal Magner on page 42.

So far, the Department’s response has not been encouraging. Within four days of storm Éowyn, the Department issued a circular stating “felling licence applications will have to go through the normal system of consultation and referrals”. Minister Heydon and his team have an opportunity to fix this.

Congratulations

Congratulations and best of luck to newly appointed Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine, Martin Heydon.

In one sense we know already he has a great handle on the brief from his involvement in the last Government. On the other hand, some will hold this against him in terms of the negative policies and bureaucracy that farmers have taken on over the last five years.

Either way, we have to judge the new minister on his actions and not what has happened in the past while he was a team member.

See Pat O’Toole’s interview with Minister Heydon on page 12.