Noxious Weeds

Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2017

Monday, 11 September 2017

Questions (1327, 1334, 1335, 1367)

Dara Calleary

Question:

1327. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the regulations regarding ragwort; and his plans to address its renewed growth. [37933/17]

Martin Heydon

Question:

1334. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the responsibilities of landowners regarding noxious weeds on their property; the way in which laws regarding this issue are enforced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38237/17]

Martin Heydon

Question:

1335. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of the responsibility of local authorities for the management of noxious weeds on public ground and roadsides; the way in which the rules in this regard are monitored and enforced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38254/17]

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

1367. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions that have been taken to ensure compliance with the noxious weeds legislation with reference to the spread of ragwort and Japanese knotweed; the number of prosecutions pending; the number of these that have been taken against public bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38477/17]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1327, 1334, 1335 and 1367 together.

My Department actively seeks to enforce the provisions of the 1936 Noxious Weeds Act by issuing “Notices to Destroy” in all instances where it becomes aware of the presence of noxious weeds.

Some 21 such notices were issued in 2016 with a further 18 having been issued to date in 2017. These notices are issued as a result of inspections carried out by Department Field Officers or on receipt of reports made by the public. Follow-up action may be undertaken by Departmental officials with the land owner to ensure that the notifications are acted upon and that the particular weeds have been dealt with as stipulated in the Notice to Destroy.

My Department continues to engage with all County Councils, Local Authorities and the National Roads Authority to ensure a consistent programme of treatment and disposal of such weeds on an ongoing basis. In this regard, my Department was in contact with each of the County and Local Authorities in the Country earlier this year emphasising their statutory obligation and the importance of implementing measures for the treatment and safe disposal of ragwort in order to eliminate and prevent the spread of same.

On the issue of any impact of an infestation of ragwort on farmers’ area-based schemes payments, farmers are obliged to keep their lands free from noxious weeds under the cross-compliance measures set down for farming practices. Failure to do so can result in the application of a reduction of their payment entitlement. EU Regulations governing the various area-based Direct Payments Schemes, e.g. BPS, Greening, and Rural Development measures, call for applicants to comply with Cross-Compliance requirements relating to the 13 Statutory Managements Requirements (SMRs) and the 7 Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) standards. GAEC Standard 7 requires applicants to ensure that they take appropriate measures to prevent the encroachment/proliferation of noxious weeds/invasive plant species onto land. In 2016, a total of 89 sanctions were applied which resulted in 65 penalties.

While the Act makes provision for taking prosecutions against offenders, this measure has not been resorted to in recent years. Modern farming has reached a level of specialisation and intensification which makes weed control a fundamental and automatic practice. However, the prevalence of ragwort found along the margins of roadways and in locations such as derelict sites regrettably appears to have increased.

With regard to the issue of Japanese Knotweed, this plant species is categorised as an invasive species covered by SI 477 of 2011 and is administered by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and of which I have no function.