Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 January 2017
749. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the invasive species of Japanese knotweed that is present in Dublin South West and across the State; if she has been liaising with local authorities in the affected areas to tackle this invasive species; and her plans to offer grant aid to affected homeowners to get rid of it. [1350/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am very aware of the growing public concern about the impact of Japanese Knotweed. In this regard, I wish to advise that my Department is responsible for the enforcement of the Wildlife Acts and the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 477/2011), both of which prohibit the spreading of invasive species.
In law, control of invasive species such as Japanese Knotweed is a matter for landowners. My Department carries out considerable work on controlling invasive species in National Parks and Nature Reserves but it does not have the resources required to extend such work into urban areas or the wider countryside, and is not in a position at present to provide dedicated funds for such work to other bodies, including local authorities. Likewise, there are no plans at present to provide grant funding to homeowners for the removal or eradication of Japanese Knotweed.
There is considerable work being carried out at present by a range of agencies in this area, including many local authorities. While there is no national eradication plan, I will consider options for improved national co-ordination of work on invasive species, including increased cooperation between local and central government.
My Department does not collect data from local authorities on the incidence of Japanese Knotweed in their areas or indeed their actions to deal with this species. However, information on the distribution of invasive species in Ireland, including Japanese Knotweed, is available on the invasive species section of the National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC) website at http://maps.biodiversityireland.ie.
My Department has worked closely over the years with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) to fund and manage the Invasive Species Ireland Project and this initiative has resulted in Best Practice Management Guidelines for a number of invasive species, including Japanese Knotweed, being published on the project website at www.invasivespeciesireland.com.
