Forestry Minister committed to visiting West Roscommon to meet local community in aftermath of wildfires

Minister of State with responsibility for Forestry, Michael Healy-Rae has committed to visiting West Roscommon to assess the extensive damage caused by the recent wildfires.

Local Fine Gael senator Gareth Scahill told a public meeting in Gorthaganny this evening, Tuesday, that Minister Healy-Rae had committed to meeting a local delegation either in West Roscommon or Dublin, and also visiting the affected areas.

Senator Scahill said the Minister had made that commitment when he spoke to him earlier today.

Speaking at the meeting this evening, Fianna Fáil TD Martin Daly said lessons needed to be learned following the recent wildfires and that forests needed to better managed in advance of future "disasters".

Independent Ireland Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice said that during Leaders Questions in the Dáil with Tánaiste Simon Harris, he had raised the possibility of the reconstitution grant being provided to those whose forestry was affected by the wildfires.

Sinn Féin Deputy Claire Kerrane told the public meeting that the only question that remained was what supports would be available for those affected and she would be holding the relevant Ministers to account in this regard.

The meeting heard that Minister Christopher O'Sullivan, who has special responsibility for nature, heritage, and biodiversity, had committed to engaging once a report to assess the damage in West Roscommon had been completed.

The meeting was also told that local Oireachtas members had written to Roscommon County Council seeking a review of fire services in the county.

Several local councillors who spoke, strongly supported the move to re-open Castlerea Fire Station and urged that the necessary supports be provided to those affected. 

A representative from National Parks and Wildlife Service outlined to the meeting that about 90 per cent of the SAC was badly damaged or burnt.

It’s estimated that the raging wildfires burnt a total of 1,300 acres of bog and forestry, twenty per cent of which is estimated to be forestry plantation. The fires have also had a destructive impact on the area’s rich biodiversity and there are hopes that the SAC, which locates an historic bogwalk, can be restored.

Opening the well attended meeting, Seamus Crawley, Chairperson of Gorthaganny Community Development, spoke of the devastation caused by the wildfires and thanked all the local fire services and everybody locally who had worked to keep the fires away from people’s homes. 

Mr Crawley also spoke about how people’s forestry investments had been severely affected by the fires, which had also damaged a lot of fencing.

He said said local people had been affected physically and psychologically by the fires. He said it was a frightening experience for some while others had suffered chest problems because of the thick smoke that had descended on the affected areas.

As the meeting concluded, Mr Crawley said he looked forward to the politicians working on the issue and providing clarity on what supports or schemes would be available for people affected by the wildfires and how the SAC could be restored.

He said the public meeting was an opportunity to learn from the experience and "what can be improved on if there is another fire".

Mr Crawley noted that the local town of Castlerea did not have a fire brigade and that was a "huge loss" to the area.

He said another public meeting would be called once there was feedback from politicians.