Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 478: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will assure this Deputy that forestry workers are not in danger from the use by the State Forestry Board, Coillte Teo, in Ireland and for export, of flexicoat impregnated with insecticides used to treat trees and seedlings and that chemicals in use have been fully tested and have formal approval here and in the country of export. [28448/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Coillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters are the responsibility of the company. I have, however, been advised by Coillte that they take the safety of forest workers very seriously and that they implement effective safety controls in all its operations. I understand from the company that they treat some young seedlings with Cypermethrin (Forester), an insecticide for the protection of these seedlings from the Large Pine Weevil. A plant polysaccharide (Flexcoat) with adhesive properties is added to the insecticide to bind it effectively to the seedlings. Cypermethrin has been fully approved and authorised for use in forestry in Ireland by the Pesticide Control Service (PCS) of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Authorisation PSC No. 02533). Flexcoat is not a pesticide and does not require authorisation. Coillte exports treated seedlings to the United Kingdom and the company advises that it has received clearance for this from the Pesticide Safety Directorate (PSD) in the UK.