Physical inspection of roundwood logs at ports “do not take place for every import consignment” but importers are banned from bringing in roundwood from areas known to be affected by the great spruce bark beetle, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed.
There are currently three ports where roundwood logs are imported into Ireland, incuding Rushbrooke port and Passage West port in Co. Cork and Wicklow port.
According to Minister Charlie McConalogue these three ports have been designated border control posts for roundwood logs and inspection facilities have been established there.
The minister was asked in a parliamentary question tabled by the chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, Jackie Cahill, what “bio-security measures” are now in place to assess imported timber given the current risk posed by the great spruce bark beetle.
The great spruce bark beetle is a virulent pest that is now established in southern Scotland and is slowly extending its range northwards.
According to the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) Farm Forestry Committee chair, Jason Fleming, farmers in Ireland are very concerned about the risk posed by the beetle from the importation of timber from Scotland.
Deputy Cahill asked Minister McConalogue if there was any co-ordination between the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and relevant Scottish authorities to “ensure the great spruce bark beetle is not present in timber shipments coming to Ireland”.
Logs
In response the minister said: “In light of recent developments with bark beetles in Great Britain, found outside of their Pest Free Area (PFA) 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.
“My department has an ongoing dialogue with the Scottish authorities on matters related specifically to the Pest Free Area and log imports into Ireland.
“In addition, I understand that the felling sites in the PFA, where timber is due to be exported to Ireland, are subject to an inspection regime, as part of their phytosanitary certification system”.
According to Minister McConalogue this system provides identification of the specific forest location from which the roundwood is sourced and inspections at ports in Ireland “involve sampling of logs from the shipment in accordance with a standard operational procedure”.