The total cash impact of Storm Éowyn in January 2025 to Coillte will be in excess of €80 million with the salvage of windblown sites expected to continue until mid-2027.
Coillte said the effects of the “unprecedented levels of damage” to its estate caused by the storm “continue to impact negatively on the business”.
This estimated total cash cost is driven by a combination of lower pricing due to increased supply of sawlog material and lower volumes of higher-value sawlog material extracted from windblown sites.
Other impacts include significantly increased harvesting and haulage costs and general storm-related clean-up costs.
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The group’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (ebitda) for 2025 was €66.5 million, excluding the impact of storm-related costs, which is slightly higher than the €62 million achieved in 2024.
The impact of Storm Éowyn has resulted in an exceptional charge of €51.3 million in the 2025 profit and loss account. The group recorded an operating loss of €33.5 million compared with an operating profit of €18.7 million in 2024.
During 2025, €1.5 million was paid as a final ordinary dividend to the State in respect of 2024. Due to the impact of Storm Éowyn, no ordinary dividend is payable to the State in 2025.
Coillte has €150 million available in revolving debt facilities, of which none was drawn as of December 2025. At year end 2025 Coillte had net cash of €26 million. Coillte reforested almost 6,000 hectares of lands in 2025, with 15 million trees planted.
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Coillte launched a sustainable housing project on council land at Melrose Court, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, last June. This project will see the construction of 27 age-friendly homes to A1 Ber performance this year, using low-carbon home-grown timber from Ireland’s forests.
The group said it continued to make progress on realising a key ambition to develop one gigawatt of renewable energy by 2030 by advancing €18 million of shareholder loans to its joint venture FuturEnergy Ireland in 2025 for the ongoing development of its wind-energy portfolio.
Coillte also increased the proportion of the estate managed primarily for nature from 20 per cent to 30 per cent, with 134,000 hectares of land – an increase of 44,000 hectares – now being managed primarily for nature and biodiversity across Ireland.
Coillte saw a 10 per cent increase in the number of visits to its most popular recreational forests year on year, with its flagship destination, Beyond the Trees Avondale in Co Wicklow, recording almost 350,000 visits.
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Coillte chair Vivienne Jupp said there was “no doubt” Storm Éowyn “defined 2025″ for Coillte and its effects would continue to impact the business for the next two years.
“To put the scale in context: the equivalent of more than twice Coillte’s annual harvest area – approximately 14,500 hectares – suffered windblow damage.
“When you consider that the total cash impact on the business is estimated at over €80 million, in a business delivering ebitda of €66.5 million, the financial challenge becomes clear.”
Coillte chief executive Imelda Hurley said: “Against the backdrop of one of the most challenging years on record for the organisation due to the unprecedented impact of Storm Éowyn, Coillte delivered a solid financial performance with ebitda of €66.5 million before exceptional costs.
“The performance reflects a range of cost-saving measures implemented throughout 2025. The market environment in 2025 continued to be challenging across all our core markets.
“Ongoing geopolitical tensions have led to continued end-market demand uncertainty, curtailing any expected demand recovery.
“At year end, Coillte had net cash of €26 million, placing the business in a solid financial position as we manage the storm-related recovery and focus on optimising our operational, financial and strategic delivery.”
