Minister of State for Forestry, Horticulture and Farm Safety, Michael Healy-Rae has said that those being critical of his role are "scaremongering" forestry owners, who are dealing with immense storm damage.

Minister Healy-Rae has reassured forestry owners that he will use "every avenue" to support them from the beginning to end.

"I know that some people out there have been critical of me. Well I'll say directly to the people that are critical of me, they're scaremongering people that are already after having a bad event," the minister said.

"The message that I have to the people is that I'm responsible. I will be doing everything I can to help them," Minister Healy-Rae said.

The minister said he has already initiated a new change in the forestry licencing structure, where those with thinning licences can now use that licence for clearfelling, as well as thinning.

It is now estimated that the total area of forestry blown down after Storm Éowyn will be in the region of 23,625ha, following an initial satellite assessment.

There is an approximately even split between public and private forests. It is estimated that around 10 million cubic metres of timber has been affected, predominantly in spruce plantations older than 20 years of age.

Now that the exact damage has been made clear nationally, Minister Healy-Rae said that his "next steps" will be exploring the possibility of a reconstitution grant.

"I don't want people to be fearful that if they go removing their timber now and if there is not a reconstitution grant in place that they won't be able to apply for it or acquire it afterwards.

"That won't be the fact. If there will be money to reconstitute and to replant, it will apply to the people who lost their timber that was knocked during the storm," the minister said.

With timber on the ground across the country at the moment, the minister said that much of it is under licence and encouraged foresters and forestry companies to make use of sawmills and contractors to remove the timber.

Minister Healy-Rae said that many of the sawmills are "not operating anywhere near capacity", and said that there is a market there for timber. The minister is also exploring other national and international markets.