Michael Comiskey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join colleagues in congratulating President Obama. Most of us have aunts and uncles and family members who had to travel to America down the years. I join in inviting President Obama and all our relations in America to come back for The Gathering next year. It would be great to see all our friends and family returning.

I wish to talk about the problem of ash tree dieback which was identified in County Leitrim ten or 12 days ago. I congratulate the Department for moving so quickly to destroy all those plants and in five or six other locations to ensure this disease would not spread. I call on the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, to come to the House to discuss the problem in order that people are made aware of it. Many acres of ash and other broadleaf trees have been planted in recent times and we may not have to import any ash to manufacture hurleys in the future. We must make people aware that this disease could wipe out the native ash trees.