Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is very welcome. I suppose one could say that Senator Martin and I have serious bees in our bonnets about this issue. We want a ban on the importation of non-native bees into this country. As the Minister of State well knows, it is not only us but many Irish beekeepers, bee enthusiasts and those of us who care deeply about our native biodiversity. I have spoken to the wonderful Martin O'Rourke from the County Louth Beekeepers Association which was established in 1910 and has more than a century of collected knowledge on how best to protect native bee stocks, biodiversity and what is in the best interests of our island's natural and native environment. We should listen to the people who know their bees.

It is time for some true ecological nationalism. A growing body of scientific research is proving what beekeepers have known for generations. A Limerick Institute of Technology scientist has proven beyond any doubt that the pure native Irish honey bee is not extinct as previously feared, but still exists on the island of Ireland. An applied science postgraduate student, Jack Hassett, has discovered that millions of the pure native species are living in at least 300 hives throughout the country. His study shows that while the black bee should be considered endangered, there are enough of the pure native honeybee in Ireland to not only ensure its survival with the proper support, but also enough Irish bees to repopulate northern Europe, where the majority of Apis mellifera mellifera has died out or been hybridised. It is too late to act once the horse has bolted. It is time for action.

I would be grateful if the Minister of State could provide an update on studies undertaken with the aid of the genetic research grant she spoke about previously. Where there is a will there is a way to find out how we can work within the current legal structures to ban the importation of the non-native bee.