Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 November 2023
461. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department is considering restricting the importation of certain raw wood products such as unsawn timber from areas where the bark beetle Ips typographus has been identified; the measures that are in place or are being considered to prevent the arrival of the bark beetle into Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52486/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraImporters in Ireland are prohibited from importing unprocessed conifer logs (roundwood) from areas where the bark beetle Ips typographus has been identified.
Coniferous roundwood is both imported into and exported out of Ireland. All imports into Ireland must be compliant with the EU Plant Health Regulation and importers must be registered as Professional Operators. Similarly, any action Ireland takes in response to threats from pests must also be compliant with EU Plant Health Regulations and the International Plant Protection Convention. Importers in Ireland are prohibited from importing roundwood from areas known to be affected by quarantine bark beetle species. The only area internationally where imports into Ireland of coniferous roundwood with bark is permitted is from a specific UK Government authority assigned ‘Pest Free Area’ in the West of Scotland. In light of recent developments with bark beetles in Great Britain, found outside of their ‘Pest Free Area’, this Department has been engaging directly with Scottish forestry authorities, Northern Ireland and the European Commission to ensure that the pest free status of the island of Ireland is maintained.
Imports of roundwood logs from this Pest Free Area (PFA) in Scotland are subject to an inspection regime. All imports from the PFA must be accompanied by a Phytosanitary Certificate which is issued by the UK Government authority, in accordance with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), to attest that the logs meet the phytosanitary import requirements of Ireland and the EU, and are in conformity with the certifying statement.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine regularly engages with stakeholders including on phytosanitary risks. The Department launched a major plant health initiative in its ‘Plant Health and Biosecurity Strategy 2020-2025’ which outlines the importance of plant health biosecurity for Ireland and helps ensure that all stakeholders are aware of the risks to plant health in Ireland, and their role and responsibilities to reduce those risks. In addition there has been significant investment in EU ‘Border Control Posts’ facilities in recent years to allow import control inspections of plants and plant products from non-EU countries.
