03-08-2025
Storm Floris Exposes Danger Posed by Ash Dieback Senator
An independent senator has said that Storm Floris again highlights the "fatal dangers" posed by ash dieback.
Met Éireann has issued several Status Yellow weather warnings for Bank Holiday Monday (July 4) ahead of the arrival of the storm.
The national forecaster said that Storm Floris will bring "unseasonably impactful weather" with very strong winds and some damaging gusts.
This could result in structural damage, fallen trees and debris in some areas.
The first Status Yellow wind warning for Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo will be valid from 2:00a.m until 1:00p.m on Monday.
A similar warning for Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Leitrim will be in place from 4:00a.m to 4:00p.m on Monday.
A Status Yellow rainfall warning for Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo has been issued from 2:00a.m to 10:00a.m on Monday.
The UK Met Office has also issued a Status Yellow wind warning for Northern Ireland from 6:00a.m on Monday until 6:00a.m on Tuesday.
Senator Victor Boyhan, who is a member of the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, has renewed his call for a national action plan to tackle roadside ash dieback, as he believes "the risk to life is too great".
"Storm Floris raised yet again the need for a national fund to support farmers and land owners to remove the risk of ash dieback.
"Storm Floris is potentially a serious risk of exposure with fears that the storm could do huge damage to trees, damage electricity poles, causing power outages and disruption to the electricity supply network and impact on the road network," he said.
Senator Victor Boyhan
'Ministers and department officials have repeatedly provided assurances that a comprehensive action plan is being prepared to deal with the issue, yet on the ground landowners and farmers are totally frustrated with the lack of practical and financial support to get on with the job of clearing trees impacted by ash dieback," he added.
Senator Boyhan said a national plan requires collaboration between the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), the forestry sector, local authorities, farm organisations, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and other state agencies.
He said that any plan must be "coupled with a decent financial package" to help landowners and farmers "to clear the risk for once and for all".
