Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 April 2025
595. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in light of storm Éowyn, whether his Department has changed policy on planting distances from roadsides and overhead cables; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15250/25]
View answer596. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the setback distance from the roadsides and near overhead wires before storm Éowyn, and now on licences issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15251/25]
View answer619. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department is committed to undertaking a review of the Forestry Standards Manual given the impact of recent storms on public roads, utilities and powerlines, especially the setback distances from overhead powerlines; and if his Department will consider the introduction of a separate felling licence application system to facilitate urgent management of the setback distances from powerlines. [15582/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 595, 596 and 619 together.
My Department officials are in regular contact with the ESB, particularly in the aftermath of Storm Éowyn. On 5th February 2025, a decision was made by Government to request ESB Networks to develop a Winter 2025 Grid Resilience Plan.
A key component of this plan will be the requirement to safeguard the electrical network that passes through forests. In this regard ESB have engaged with my Department, Coillte, Department of Environment Climate and Communications and I understand they are also engaging with the Irish Farmers Association.
I understand that amongst other items, a commitment to review forestry setbacks and corridors in relation to the safeguarding of the electrical network will form part of the plan. I understand, any new agreement on corridor widths will inform my Department in updating their forestry related requirements.
Public road setback distances are set out in my Department’s Forestry Standards Manual as regards roads. A setback strip of 10 metres for broadleaves and 20 metres for conifers, measured to the surfaced edge of the public road, applies. In Conifer forest, the strip 10 metres to 20 metres from the road may be planted with broadleaves or groups of broadleaves.
Power line corridor widths are also set out in my Department’s Forestry Standards Manual which provides guidance on how to deal with ESB lines interacting with new forests. The document outlines that for a 10 kv to 38 kv powerline this requires a 20m corridor, a 110 kv line requires a 61 metre corridor, 220kv line requires a 68m corridor and a 400kv line requires a 74m corridor. These corridors are based on an agreement between the ESB and the IFA which also included other requirements regarding access.
