2026-06-16

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Forestry Act 2014 to provide for the effective management of critical infrastructure corridors and forestry management, and to provide for related matters. As Deputies will be aware, this is a Bill to deal with the forestry situation. It is to amend the Forestry Act 2014 to provide for the effective management of critical infrastructure corridors and forestry management and related matters. We all remember Storm Éowyn and the havoc it caused across the country to many thousands of households that were left without electricity and, as consequence of that, were also left without water. Roads were blocked by fallen trees with people cut off for days in many cases. In my constituency covering Sligo, Leitrim and south Donegal, along with many other countries in the north west, we were severely impacted by the storm with power outages and water outages. This was not the first time; it has been happening on a regular basis. As these storms seem to continue to become more frequent, we cannot allow these extended power outages to continue or indeed to become the norm. The biggest issue the ESB faced in restoring electricity was forestry where trees had fallen upon power lines and the corridors for the power lines were blocked for days. These corridors had to be cleared before repair works could be carried out. This legislation, the Forestry (Critical Infrastructure) (Amendment) Bill 2026, would prevent this happening in the future. The Bill aims to establish minimum corridor widths for specific categories of critical infrastructure as currently outlined under the forestry standards manual. The critical infrastructure is defined as water mains, gas lines and electricity lines of varying voltage capacities. The minimum width of forestry corridors for critical infrastructure shall be as follows: 15 m width for water mains; 15 m minimum distance for gas lines; and a 30 m minimum corridor shall apply where a gas line has been installed after the forestry has been planted. Minimum width corridors for electricity lines shall be as follows: 55 m centre minimum width in the case of a 10 KV capacity line; 55 m centre minimum width for a 38 KV capacity line; 61 m centre minimum width for a 110 KV capacity line; 60 m centre minimum width for a 220 KV capacity line; and 74 m centre minimum width for a 400 KV capacity line. The Government promised to introduce legislation on this but has failed to do so and nothing has happened. It has been 18 months since Storm Éowyn wreaked havoc across the country. We all hear from Government that the legislation is being progressed but nothing has happened. We need to get this legislation passed as soon as possible because we do not want a situation where we have more weather warnings and more storms and people start to worry again that they will be left without electricity, water and heat. I am asking for cross-party support for this legislation. We are open to getting everybody to come together to find a solution for something that has affected thousands of people across the country.

I am very glad to co-sponsor this legislation with my colleague, Martin Kenny. For those living in Roscommon and Galway, the people I represent, and particularly for those in north Roscommon, no part of Roscommon is immune from trees falling on power lines during storms. Storm Éowyn really put a spotlight on the issue, with householders at the time left for 15, 16, 17 or more days with no electricity, no water and in some cases no heating either. We have a vicious circle when this happens. A storm comes. There is huge damage. We talk about what needs to be done and all the failures but nothing happens. When a storm hits, I get a call from certain people in my community and I know what they are going to say: the trees have fallen and the electricity is down. It is important to acknowledge the ESB workers given the sites they have to go out to as well as those engaged in tree felling and tree services and what they have to try to deal with and the conditions they have to endure when they are under pressure to get power back. This issue needs to be resolved once and for all. We need to do right by those householders who, when a storm comes and trees fall causing major issues, suffer outages for days on end. This is something that can be solved. For new forestry now being planted when we have the new forestry programme, we need to ensure that we get this right. We have to do that for householders and particularly for vulnerable customers. Being on a vulnerable customer list with ESB does not mean much bar an acknowledgement and some bit of notice of a power outage if that is possible. This is something the Government has a say on. It is something that we can do and we can make a difference. We can end that vicious circle for householders in rural areas who pay a lot more for their electricity than those in other parts but then suffer from outages. It is not right and I ask Members to support the Bill.

Is the Bill opposed?

No.

Since this is a Private Members' Bill, Second Stage must, under Standing Orders, be taken in Private Members' time.

I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."