By Dionne Meehan
A LOCAL councillor is urging Coillte to relook at their planting policy regulations following the extensive damage caused to power lines in Donegal during Storm Éowyn.
Cllr Donal Mandy Kelly claimed that 95 per cent of power outages were caused by fallen trees on Coillte-owned land where trees were planted too close to power lines.
“Trees can only be planted four metres away from either side of the power line, which is eight metres in total,” Cllr Kelly told the Donegal News.
“That is not enough.
“Those trees grow somewhere in the region of 20 or 30 foot, blow over and break power lines.
“This needs to be relooked at going forward.”
Cllr Kelly is entering his sixth day without electricity at his home in Glenswilly.
“I have been out on the ground myself the last two or three nights with the ESB in my own area,” Cllr Kelly said.
“I want to thank the ESB and the services on the ground; I see the terrain they have to walk through.
“The conditions they have to work in are very difficult and I don’t think they get enough praise.”
At an agriculture meeting taking place in Lifford today, Cllr Kelly will be urging Donegal County Council to meet with Coillte over his concerns.
“This can’t go on going forward,” Cllr Kelly said.
“Things need to improve.”
In a statement issued to the Donegal News in response to Cllr Kelly’s concerns, a Coillte spokesperson said staff and contractors are working hard in hazardous conditions to deal with damage caused by Storm Éowyn as quickly as possible.
“Our priority at this time is to support the National Emergency Co-ordination Group, power companies and local communities, by clearing individual trees to open road access and helping them to restore power and services to homes and farms as quickly as possible,” a spokesperson said.
“Addressing all of the tree damage raised by our neighbours and stakeholders can take time, but we are endeavouring to clear the most urgent areas as a priority and our teams have been extremely active in the Donegal area in recent days.”
As staff endeavour to clear areas impacted by storm damage as quickly as possible, a Coillte spokesperson said safety is their absolute priority.
“Coillte is asking members of the public not to enter forests where there is clear storm damage or where there are clearance operations underway,” a spokesperson continued.
“While the power companies have responsibility to ensure that the wayleaves, the areas beneath and next to powerlines in forested areas are kept clear of large trees and scrub that could pose a threat to the power supply, Coillte is working closely with them and the local authorities to support them in any way it can, including providing access and equipment if required.
“At this stage we do not know the full extent of the damage caused by Storm Eowyn to our forest estate. However, early indications are that it is extensive.
“We thank our neighbours and stakeholders for their patience and for highlighting any damage and as we clear the most urgent areas as a priority.”
Also at today’s meeting, Cllr Kelly will ask Donegal County Council to urge the new Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, to introduce an incentive for farmers and landowners to trim or remove hazardous roadside trees.
“I am a farmer myself,” Cllr Kelly said.
“The schemes that have come in for farmers mostly involve the planting of trees.
“This needs to be relooked at.
“We need a scheme to come in that will entice farmers and landowners to cut back trees or cut down trees where they are not safe.
“I think if the agriculture minister does introduce a scheme or incentive like that, landowners and farmers will be more than willing to come out and do their bit.”
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