Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this very important issue. Last week my attention was drawn to a very serious and concerning issue, namely the discovery of black grass on a Teagasc plot in Oak Park, Carlow. To help myself understand more about this I listened to a very informative podcast on the Irish Farmers' Journalwebsite discussing the issue. For those who are not aware, black grass is an invasive weed which spreads very easily and very quickly. It can be found in a variety of settings but the setting of most concern is that of cereal crops. It is a major problem in the UK and can have a devastating impact on crop yields for tillage farmers. Teagasc made the discovery of black grass in a commercial wild flower mixture which was growing on one of its plots. The major issue here is the word "commercial", meaning essentially that anyone could have, and possibly may have, bought similar mixtures of commercial wild flower seeds containing black grass. We would be incredibly lucky if the only commercial mixture imported into Ireland contaminated with black grass just happened to be bought by Teagasc. Logic would suggest that this is unlikely and that many people have imported seed mixtures containing black grass from the UK.

Black grass is a major problem because it spreads so quickly and is herbicide-resistant. It is estimated that black grass costs the UK economy nearly £400 million and 800,000 tonnes of lost harvest every year. If we allow this weed to establish itself here, crop farming will be severely damaged. This is a very concerning development because under the pollinator plan, which is a Government-led initiative that aims to help bees, other pollinating insects and our wider biodiversity, local groups such as schools, community groups, Tidy Towns groups etc., may be importing wild flower seeds to use as part of their efforts. If black grass is contained in commercially available mixtures, there is an obvious and major risk of its being imported and sown unintentionally right across the country, having a potentially devastating impact on crops. This weed can spread very easily and rapidly and we must do all we can to stop it. In theory, the pollinator plan is a great idea but we must be alert to unintended consequences. If we are to encourage people to sow wild flower seeds and other related plants, it is imperative that we have our ducks in a row and that we have joined-up thinking when it comes to certification and regulation. It is to be hoped the discovery in Carlow was a one-off exception but we need to be vigilant.

There are at least two areas on which the Government can act. First, the Department needs to take this very seriously and put steps in place to raise awareness among those who have imported wild flower seeds and steps to prevent black grass from destroying crops. Second, I understand that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has no certification process for imported wild flower seeds. We are also importing straw which is not being tested for black grass. We cannot on the one hand encourage community groups and schools to sow wild flower seeds for biodiversity while, on the other hand, fail to ensure that such seeds being imported are not contaminated. I look forward to the Minister of State's response on the matter.

See this speech in context