The final meeting of the Asian Hornet Management Group (AHMG) took place this week, at which the next steps in Ireland's response to the invasive species were discussed.

The meeting was chaired by Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD.

The AHMG was established in August following the sighting of an Asian hornet in Cork city, and oversaw the successful discovery and removal of two Asian hornet nests in Cork.

At this week's meeting, Minister O'Sullivan announced that during the upcoming winter, a new interdepartmental group consisting of representatives from relevant government departments and agencies will overtake the role of responding to the invasive species.

Then new group aims to "share information, define strategy, plan and implement mitigation actions for any potential future presence of Asian hornet in Ireland".

At the final meeting, O'Sullivan commended the work done by the AHMG, which was led by the National Parks and Wildlife Service in conjunction with the National Biodiversity Data Centre, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and the National Museum of Ireland.

The minister also expressed his gratitude for the general public's involvement in helping the cause, noting that "citizen science has never proven so effective as in this case".

He encouraged the public to continue to report any unusual sightings to the National Biodiversity Data Centre.

Additionally, O'Sullivan thanked beekeeper associations for their practical support and advice during the crisis, and stated that he looks forward to their continued engagement with the new group.

He added: "Given the spread of the Asian hornet throughout Europe, we must ensure that Ireland is prepared for any future incursions.

"We have learned valuable insights from our response to date; this learning will inform the work of the interdepartmental group, who will now actively plan and engage widely with stakeholders from sectors involved to prepare and strengthen our response."