Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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Regarding banning herbicides in public areas and the review of local authority responses on this issue, at the public meeting of the committee on Thursday, 12 May 2022, it was agreed that the secretariat would write to all 31 local authorities with a list of questions about whether they use herbicides in public areas - petition No. 8 of 2022. To date, 26 of the 31 local authorities have replied. Only Carlow County Council, Galway County Council, Kildare County Council, Westmeath County Council and Wexford County Council are yet to reply. The secretariat has reviewed these responses. On the basis of this review, we know that those 26 local authorities all still use chemical herbicides in public areas. However, the vast majority are reducing their use of chemical herbicides with some only using them for limited specific purposes and many also using and trialling non-chemical alternatives, such as Foamstream and the mechanical removal of weeds. For example, Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council have phased out the use of chemical herbicides in many public places. These local authorities now only use chemical herbicides in public areas to treat invasive alien species which are particularly difficult to remove and in specific public settings, such as golfing greens in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and graveyards in Fingal.

Some local authorities also noted that while they are trying to minimise the use of chemicals, it is difficult to remove invasive alien species, such as Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed, on a large scale without glyphosate. Others local authorities including Wicklow County Council and Fingal County Council have developed policies which aim to reduce the use of chemical herbicides further. Overall, there is a positive and proactive movement across most of the country to reduce the use of chemical herbicides in public areas.

The committee recommends that: the secretariat follow up one last time with those local authorities yet to reply; the secretariat continue with its review of the local authority responses and work on its report on banning herbicides in public areas over the summer recess; and note in the committee's report if any of the outstanding local authorities fail to respond to the final reminder. Do members have any views? I wish to let Senator Buttimer know what was decided yesterday. The secretariat has been in touch with the local authorities and they have ignored us as well.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I believe David Joyce from Cork City Council gave us a very comprehensive reply.

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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We would not doubt that the people in Cork would come back to us straightaway. That is agreed.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I again commend the officials in the secretariat on the quality of their work on our behalf. As we come to a recess, we should acknowledge publicly the fantastic work of the staff of the Committee on Public Petitions secretariat. The quality of the work that members of the committee receive in advance of petitioners or presentations by the different ombudsman offices is just brilliant. I will not name people but I thank all the members of the team that work with us.

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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The Senator will get full agreement from all members. The clerk and the secretariat staff do an unbelievable amount of work for us.

Do members wish to go into private session to discuss Owenacurra or are we planning to have a meeting during the recess?

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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We should go into private session for five minutes rather than having a discussion in public.

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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We are not sure if Senator Buttimer would even be able to hear if we go into private session because that thing is back on his screen again.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Can the committee hear me now?

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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We can hear you at this stage, but we are in public session. If we go into private session-----

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Yes.

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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Everyone else is gone. There would only be the two of us if we went into private session.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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We can meet next week when we are here.

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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We can try to organise a private meeting next week.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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If that is agreeable, yes.

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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We will try to have a private meeting next week to discuss Owenacurra if we can find a date and time that suits everybody.

Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Chairman can send communication on that.

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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I send everybody best wishes for the summer holidays. If they are going abroad, bring us back something.