Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 101: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the steps her Department will take to control the spread of ragwort which is growing extensively on roadside verges and vacant land; the number of prosecutions taken in each of the past five years for failure to control ragwort; the number of convictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21799/07]

Mary Wallace (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has conducted public awareness campaigns for the control of noxious weeds in 2006 and in the spring and summer of this year. The campaigns were directed at landowners and users of land — mainly farmers, local authorities and developers. Campaigns consisted of the circulation of posters for display in all Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Teagasc and local authority offices countrywide, as well as in agricultural centres such as co-ops, livestock marts, merchants' premises etc. I issued press releases on the subject of noxious weeds control and placed notices in the national newspapers. These campaigns were in response to the increasing prevalence over recent years of noxious weeds, especially ragwort, on road margins, development sites and on farmed lands.

In addition to the public awareness campaigns, my Department issued notices to offenders to have weeds dealt with. These notices were issued whenever complaints were made by members of the public or as a result of inspections carried out by my Department's field officers. The control of noxious weeds has been made a cross-compliance requirement for single farm payment under good agricultural and environmental condition, which means that failure to comply with this condition may result in a reduction in the single farm payment.

While the Act makes provision for taking prosecutions against offenders, this measure has not been resorted to in recent years. The preference has been to appeal to the better nature of persons responsible for such weed infested areas to face up to their responsibility under the Act and have them controlled. Modern farming has reached a level of specialisation and intensification which makes weed control a fundamental and automatic practice. Therefore, with few exceptions, the problem of noxious weeds on farms has largely diminished. In contrast, ragwort is mainly found along the margins of roadways and railway tracks and in derelict sites.

Officials from my Department have met with the National Roads Authority and I am pleased to note that the authority has embarked on a package of initiatives for the control of noxious weeds. These initiatives consist of commissioning consultancy services to advise on appropriate procedures for dealing with noxious and invasive weed species on national roads. Specifications and method statements for treating such species will be developed through this consultancy service and issued to local authorities, which will form the basis for treatment of noxious weeds on the national roads network as part of the local authorities' routine maintenance programmes in 2008.

Farmers, developers and local authorities whose land contain ragwort should seek advice on control methods from their local Teagasc advisor or consult the Teagasc fact sheet on ragwort at www.teagasc.ie

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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We have heard the quintessential civil servant's answer. Every farmer takes responsibility for ragwort or any noxious weed. Nevertheless, it exists extensively throughout the country. One can have all the public awareness and information campaigns in the world, but action is needed.

Would the Minister consider funding local authorities to ensure this blight is wiped out, particularly on roadside verges? Farmers and landowners take responsibility for noxious weeks when they occur on their land.

Mary Wallace (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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The National Roads Authority is considering the provision of a dedicated financial allocation to local authorities to address the control of noxious weeds on approximately 5,500 km of national roads.

During the summer I saw farmers in County Galway and council workers on the Dundalk bypass hand-pulling ragwort. This was a waste of time, because the weed can be sprayed in the early spring or between September and November. I encourage landowners and local authorities to take the advice given on the Teagasc website and spray the weed in the spring or autumn. This is a perfect time of year for spraying ragwort.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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What would Deputy Sargent think of that?

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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I thank Deputy Creed for his concern.

Mary Wallace (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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Council workers could then do other work during the summer months.

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I understand why we need to get rid of ragwort. However, has the Minister of State informed the consultants — I am staggered that consultants must be employed to get rid of a weed — that there is a caterpillar whose only food source is ragwort? Has she ensured that the consultants understand the importance of ensuring, while the cattle are not poisoned, that the caterpillar survives?

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Do data exist on the number of cattle or other farm animals affected by ragwort? We are concerned about ragwort because it is a noxious weed. While spraying can be effective it must be done repeatedly over a number of years and not merely once off. It is my understanding the spraying makes the weed more palatable so it is not without adverse consequences. The problem needs a structured approach and not mere once-off spraying.

Mary Wallace (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Upton is correct. There are three reasons for dealing with noxious weeds. First, we have designated ragwort as a noxious weed because it is poisonous to animals when grazed or consumed in hay or silage; second, other noxious weeds, such as thistle and dock in grassland and wild oat in cereals, affect crop growth and consequently crop yield; third, if noxious weeds are not controlled their seeds spread to adjoining lands and cause further infestation and annoyance to neighbours. This is why farmers must work together with the National Roads Authority and with local authorities to deal with the problem on both sides of the fence.

The National Roads Authority and not the Department has commissioned a consultancy service. The consultants will advise local authorities on appropriate procedures. It is the job of local authorities to maintain margins on national roads. It is hoped the consultancy service will suggest specifications and methods for treating such species, taking the caterpillar into consideration. These specifications will be developed and issued to local authorities by the National Roads Authority and will form the basis of the treatment of noxious weeds on the national roads network.

This is a big issue for farmers. They are very concerned about it and, because of modern farming requirements, they are addressing the issue directly. I would welcome anything local authorities can do to assist in this matter. We do not want ragwort spread more widely than at present.