Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 April 2024
80. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is considering the suspension of log imports from Scotland until better safeguards are in place to prevent the spread of the spruce bark beetle to this country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18348/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraImporters in Ireland are already 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’ (PFA) in the West of Scotland.
My officials engage closely with their Scottish counterparts on this matter. The Scottish Authorities provide support and evidence of this pest free status through on-going surveillance and maintenance activities and using internationally agreed and accepted procedures.
My Department continues to monitor the threat of the bark beetle proactively and extremely closely. 100% of the consignments that come into Irish ports from the Scottish Pest Free Area are checked, prior to export by the Scottish Authorities and at the port of entry by my officials.
To further protect our forests, my Department has also negotiated an agreement with the Scottish authorities to increase the area within the Pest Free Zone from which imports to Ireland are no longer taking place.
Logs originating in the PFA enter Ireland under the control of Revenue pending inspection by my Department. The accompanying documents are examined and the commodity is inspected for the presence of regulated harmful organisms. Following the inspection and absence of regulated harmful organisms the consignment is released.
My Department will continue to engage with Scottish counterparts on an ongoing basis as the situation in the Pest Free Area (PFA) evolves in the months and years ahead. Following the recent changes in the Scottish Pest Free Area (PFA) however, and the ongoing checks in Scotland and at the point of entry in Ireland, I have no plans to suspend the trade of logs from the Pest Free Area (PFA) of Scotland into Ireland.
Ireland is a member of the World Trade Organisation and operates under the WTO SPS (Sanitary and PhytoSanitary) Agreement which sets-out the framework within which those who follow the WTO-SPS rules can operate. The establishment, operation and maintenance of the Scottish PFA is done through WTO-SPS rules and procedures, and as a member, Ireland is bound by these rules and procedures and will not take unilateral action to ban trade when operated in these circumstances.
Ireland is also an exporter of Coniferous roundwood, in particular to the UK, and as a trading nation, is bound by the EU and international trade and plant health law. This limits the scope of a country to take unilateral actions to restrict trade, such as a ban on imports of timber from the Scottish Pest Free Area, as this would contravene that agreed EU and international trade and plant health law.
Under my Department’s Plant Health and Biosecurity Strategy 2020-2025 my Department committed to the establishment of a Plant Health Stakeholders’ Group. My officials recently hosted a very successful first meeting of the bark beetle stakeholder sub-group at which my officials took the opportunity to present the up to date position on a range of bark-beetles and associated measures being implemented. Further meetings will be organised.
It is imperative that all stakeholders remain vigilant and involved in relation to plant health in all its aspects, as it is a dynamic environment influenced by issues such as climate change, trade and the changing nature of trade.
