Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawan to the Chalara fraxinea fungus which attacks ash trees and has decimated the number of such trees in other European countries; if the issue has been discussed at EU level; and if a ban on the importation of ash trees will be considered as a method of preventing the spread of this fungus here. [43970/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Chalara fraxinea is a relatively new harmful plant disease commonly known as ‘ash dieback’. It is widespread throughout much of Europe, where it has caused significant damage in recent years. The disease is currently not regulated under the EU Plant Health Directive.

The Forestry Inspectorate in my Department has been carrying out surveys for the disease to determine its status in Ireland and has also been monitoring imports of ash plants, and wood products. Every year many thousands of ash plants are imported for utilisation under the Department’s afforestation scheme and for other purposes.

I can confirm that Ireland has raised the issue at EU level under the Standing Committee on Plant Health. Due to the serious nature of this disease, it is my intention to introduce emergency measures following due process under the EU Plant Health Directive. It is likely that legislation would be introduced by Statutory Instrument that would require that any ash plants imported into the country would come from an area known to be free of the disease. This would be regulated under the EU Plant Passport system. In addition, my Department is working closely with their counterparts in Northern Ireland in order to jointly co-ordinate an all island approach to tackling the disease as we currently share a harmonised plant health legislative status.