The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has maintained that the source of ash dieback disease in Ireland remains “unknown”.
In a series of parliamentary questions, Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett called on Minister McConalogue to “correct” his response to a previous question on the matter when he said “the exact origin of ash dieback disease in Ireland or when it was introduced are unknown”.
The People Before Profit–Solidarity TD claimed that the minister’s predecessor, Simon Coveney, had identified the origin of the disease in Ireland as a consignment of 30,000 ash plants imported from continental Europe in 2012.
Deputy Boyd Barrett also called on Minister McConalogue to identify the importer and distributor of the infected plants and the location of the 11 sites where they were planted.
The infected plants were cut and burned in a bid to stop the spread of the disease.
Ash dieback
However, Minister Charlie McConalogue said that he would not be correcting or making any amendments to his parliamentary question response from May 2022.
The minister outlined that his reply stated that ash dieback disease was first found in Ireland in late 2012.
The reply also stated that “the exact origin of ash dieback disease in Ireland or when it was introduced are unknown. It is likely that the disease was introduced into Ireland on infected plants for use in either forest, farm or roadside planting”.
“Both of these statements are correct as a first finding is not considered proof of the origin of the disease in Ireland.”
McConalogue said these statements are “entirely consistent” with those of former minister for agriculture, Simon Coveney.
“I have checked the record and my predecessor in fact stated in his response that ‘the first finding of the disease was confirmed on October 12, 2012 in Co. Leitrim’,” he said.
“In relation to the first finding and the associated trees, it is not appropriate to share details of the business names, importers and distributors involved.
“Apart from the fact that these businesses did not do anything illegal in importing and distributing imported trees, my department relies on information from members of the public and from businesses in its role in tackling the risks of introduction and establishment of harmful pests and diseases.
“Publishing their names may also be harmful to their reputation among the wider public.
“Importers of certain plants and tree species are subject to pre-notification requirements,” McConalogue said.
Ash dieback disease is widespread across Europe and has been detected in every county in Ireland.
Last month, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Senator Pippa Hackett announced that an independent review group is reviewing the government’s ash dieback support scheme.
The group is set to make a series of recommendations on the effectiveness of these supports to Minister Hackett within three months.