A much-anticipated Reconstitution Scheme to assist private forest owners impacted by recent severe storms was announced on 10 December 2025. Applications for this new scheme are set to open in early 2026. Tom Houlihan tells us more.
By far the most significant challenge to the Irish forest sector in 2025 was navigating the impact of severe weather events, namely Storm Darragh in December 2024 and, particularly, Storm Éowyn in late January 2025. These combined events resulted in severe impacts to almost 13,000 ha of privately owned forests. Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, with special responsibility for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture, Michael Healy-Rae TD, has confirmed that up to €55 million will be available to storm-impacted private forest owners through a new Reconstitution Scheme.
In announcing this welcome scheme, Minister Healy-Rae said: “Storms Darragh and Éowyn have inflicted significant damage on forests around the country, resulting in real challenges for forestry. The volume of timber normally felled over a two-and-a-half-year period was blown down overnight during Storm Éowyn in January 2025. While I welcome the significant effort and progress made to date by the forestry sector in the mobilisation of windblown material in forests, it is clear that financial support is required for private forest owners affected by these events.”
The grant supports proposed for this scheme will be paid to eligible applicants in two instalments, 75% following replanting of the forest and the remaining 25% after four years. The grant payable per hectare will vary depending on the species or forest type replanted and will mirror the planting rates paid by the Department under the Afforestation Scheme.
| Replanting Species | Proposed Grant per Hectare (€) |
| Native Forest | 6,744 |
| Broadleaf, mainly oak and beech | 6,744 |
| Diverse broadleaf | 4,314 |
| Continuous Cover Forestry | 5,421 |
| Mixed high forest with diverse conifers | 4,452 |
| Mixed high forest with Sitka spruce and broadleaves | 3,858 |
It has been clarified that the level of support under the Reconstitution Scheme for windblow will depend on whether the forest was insured for reconstitution at the time of the storm events. The full scheme specifications and application form will be available on the Department’s website in early 2026.
Teagasc forestry staff will continue their comprehensive support for forest owners impacted by previous storms in 2026, including information, advice and events focusing on the replanting of forests following the harvesting of windblown areas. For further information, log onto www.teagasc.ie/forestry.