Clare Daly
Question:22. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the pesticide that was used by the Defence Forces at camps during overseas missions in each of the years 2008 to 2017 and to date in 2018. [36120/18]
View answerFriday, 7 September 2018
Questions (22)
Written answers
I am advised by the Defence Forces that they have no records available on the use of pesticides at camps during overseas missions in each of the years 2008 to 2017.
In respect of 2018 to date, there is a record of one pesticide being used in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). This is a herbicide (chemical weed killer) currently in use for vegetation control in UNIFIL, where a glyphosate based weed killer is in use, the brand name is Tripazone.
I am also advised that commercial rodenticides are occasionally used in camp to control the rodent population. This pest control service is provided by UNIFIL and details of the pesticides used by UNIFIL are not held by the Defence Forces.
Defence Forces Health And Safety Risk Management Procedures sets out the Risk
Assessment and Controls necessary in the use of hazardous substances such as pesticides including weed killers. Each use of weed killer is thus subject to a risk assessment to ensure that its application is safe and that the manufacturers instructions are followed by the user, including eye, hand, body and respiratory protection as appropriate.
It is not currently proposed to discontinue the use of weedkillers but this matter, including the selection of specific weedkillers, will be kept under review in light of the recent debate on the issue.