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Ash Dieback Threat

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 November 2012

Thursday, 29 November 2012

Questions (228)

Mattie McGrath

Question:

228. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the forestry were slow in taking action to try to limit the spread of ash dieback; the reason they waited until 90% of Denmark's ash trees were destroyed before starting to introduce measures to try to prevent the importation of additional sources of the disease; in view of the fact that the disease has been spreading across Europe for 10 to 15 years, the reason there has not been an information campaign to warn persons of the risk of importing a disease source; the way he can assure the Irish people that this disease has not been recently imported into several areas of the country through young ash plants, firewood, hurley butts, hurley planks or another source; the measures being taken to prevent the spread of the next tree disease to seep across Europe in years to come; with so many foresters retiring over recent years, if we have the experience and resources within Coillte to identify and tackle tree diseases; the percentage of Coillte employees that are actually trained and actively working foresters with the ability to work on the ground to combat this disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53675/12]

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Written answers

Chalara fraxinea is a fungal pathogen which causes ash dieback. Since 2008 the Forest Service of my Department has been carrying out surveys for the disease to determine its status in Ireland and has also been monitoring imports of ash plants and wood products. This is a relatively new disease of ash which was first named in 2006 but the reproducing and harmful stage of the disease, Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus, was not scientifically described until 2010. This is important because in drafting the legislation required to prohibit the importation of material from infected areas, it was necessary to accurately identify and name the causal agent. Furthermore, in order to bring in emergency measures under the EU Plant Health Directive, a Member State must first demonstrate that a disease has not established itself in the territory. There must also be a scientifically based Pest Risk Analysis or, at minimum, a Preliminary Pest Risk Analysis carried out for the disease.

I can confirm that surveys have been carried out in respect of Chalara fraxinea and we are continuing to carry them out. The Preliminary Pest Risk Analysis has also been completed. In addition, under the EU Plant Health Directive, the island of Ireland is treated as a single unit for Plant Health purposes so it was vitally important that any new legislative provisions on the importation of material from infected areas were jointly agreed with the Northern Ireland authorities. We have this agreement and the required legislation to prohibit the importation of both plant material and wood has now been introduced in both jurisdictions, the only EU Member States to do so to date.

Since the disease was first detected in Ireland in October 2012, my Department has issued several Press Releases to inform the public about the disease. Information is also available on the Department’s website, including information on the symptoms of the disease and contact information for anyone who believes they may have infected trees. A poster providing information about the disease is currently being distributed for display in the offices of my Department, Teagasc, Coillte and NPWS throughout the country, as well as other relevant private sector offices. In addition, the Minister of State with responsibility for forestry, Shane McEntee, has had a number of meetings with representatives of the forest industry in relation to this disease, including forest nurseries, hurley makers, forest owner organisations, professional foresters and forestry contractors.

The Forest Service of my Department has overall responsibility for the protection of the national forest estate from harmful insects and diseases. Site surveys by Department Forestry Inspectors are continuing, focusing on sites which are at most risk from infection, including recently planted forests where ash plants imported from the continent were used. Examinations of imported ash wood and planting material have also been increased to enforce recently enacted legislation. Departmental Inspectors are also surveying for the disease in garden centres, nurseries and landscape plantings. In addition specialist training on the winter symptoms of the disease has been provided to over 100 trained foresters in the Forestry Inspectorate, Teagasc, Coillte and the private sector foresters, who are all assisting in the surveillance effort. In relation to other disease threats I can confirm that Ireland has Protected Zone status for a total of 15 forestry related harmful organisms under the EU Plant Health Directive.

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