Debate contribution: Storm Éowyn: Damage to Forests and Country Parks
Debate contribution by Mr Andrew Muir on .
- MLA
- Mr Andrew Muir
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 25 February 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Storm Éowyn: Damage to Forests and Country Parks
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4815379
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Thank you for your question, Kellie. That issue has been raised often in recent weeks. Many of my Department's forests suffered significant damage as a result of the storm, and its impacts were widespread across the estate. The forests that have been particularly affected include Drum Manor, Gosford, Tardree, Mount Stewart, Ballysallagh, Tollymore, Castlewellan, Lough Navar, Favour Royal, Mullaghfad and Kesh. Forest Service's assessment of the extent of woodlands damage is based on initial reports from local managers, neighbours and the general public, as well as drone footage and aerial surveillance that was undertaken in the week following the storm across the forest estate. The full extent of the damage to woodlands has still to be quantified and will require follow-up ground surveys, mapping and analysis of spatial data. That is ongoing and will take a number of weeks to complete. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, the focus was to prioritise the capability of the Department and the available contractors to carry out clearance works in order to reinstate access for neighbours and businesses. My Department also worked with other agencies to reopen public roads and to assist in reconnecting electricity and utility supplies. We are continuing our work, including with recreational partners, to expedite tree clearance works in the areas most affected by reduced recreational provision. My Department's country park sites were also significantly affected by the storm, which resulted in damage to woodland areas and many fallen trees. Whilst access to numerous sites was initially blocked and some sites were closed in the immediate aftermath of the storm, contractors were engaged with my officials, and those sites are now open to access.
276 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.02 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.02 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.01 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.47 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.02 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-related subject | 1.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.00 |
| Sport (including the GAA), the arts and cultural bodies | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:02 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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