Proposals were received by me earlier this year from the Minister for Health concerning measures which might be taken to control Giant Hogweed. The Minister for Health proposed a broad range of measures, including the eradication of the plant on their own property by land and fishery owners, including the Office of Public Works.
I welcome the Minister's initiative for a broadly based approach to the management and control of the problems posed by the spread of Giant Hogweed. The Office of Public Works will cooperate with the general plan of action to control the spread of the plant, envisaged by the Minister. The Office has monitored and chemically treated outbreaks of the plant on its property in recent years and will continue to do so. The Office would also support and cooperate with any programme for further research of the problem and for the systematic control and eradication of the plant that may be devised.
Measures being taken to date by the Office of Public Works are implemented as part of the Officer's overall operation for the maintenance and management of waterways and drainage schemes under its control and separate costings for this aspect of the work are not available.
The Office of Public Works will continue to deal with the problem as long as it is necessary to do so but it is not possible to say what timescale will be involved since the eradication of the Giant Hogweeds will depend on all owners of affected property dealing with it thoroughly.
I have no plans for legislation in this area.
