Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 July 2021
599. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council 28-29 June 2021 regarding setting a specific protection goal for honeybees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36316/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting held on 28th-29th June 2021 included a political discussion on two questions posed by the European Commission concerning the setting of a specific protection goal for honeybees.
The context for the discussion was the ongoing revision of the Bee Guidance Document developed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for use in pesticide risk assessments. The Commission mandated EFSA in March 2019 to review the guidance and to consider new scientific evidence that has become available since 2013. The Department supported this scientific review and revision process and wishes to see effective guidance that can be fully implemented in as short a time frame as possible.
An important part of the process is the definition of a specific protection goal for honeybees to be used in the updated guidance. During the discussion at the recent meeting, I indicated that Ireland agreed with the Commission that one specific protection goal for honeybees should be set for the whole of the EU. I also indicated that Ireland could agree with the Commission’s proposal of a maximum allowable reduction of 10% in honeybee colony size as a consequence of exposure to a pesticide.
Ireland’s position on the Commission’s proposals, which was shared by a majority of Member States, was based on scientific information presented by EFSA and the Commission during previous consultations with Member State experts and other stakeholders. The agreed protection goal is considered to be a highly protective science-based figure which can be reliably measured under realistic conditions in appropriately designed field studies.
I also pointed out during the discussion that there is a pressing need to develop suitable protection goals for bumblebees and solitary bees as well, something that is currently lacking, in order to allow for full implementation of the updated guidance and comprehensive assessments of the risks of pesticide use to all relevant bee species.
