Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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382. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the use of the chemical Cypermethrin, a hazardous chemical used in Irish forests; and if there has been an impact study into the effects of this chemical on the woodland bio-diversity. [28543/15]

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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418. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason Coillte has only conducted one water test on the impacts of Cypermethrin; and if he will initiate independent testing on random sites to ascertain the impacts of this poison on flora, fauna, water, soil and human health, given that it is an endocrine, immune system disrupter in mammals. [29208/15]

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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419. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the Forest Service, as the regulator of the Irish forest sector, has not conducted any testing or monitoring of the impacts of Cypermethrin on soil, water, flora, and fauna in Irish public forests, as 100,000 litres of this toxic chemical have been used by Coillte over a ten year period. [29209/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 382, 418 and 419 together.

My Department is responsible for the regulatory (licensing) system for pesticide products in Ireland. This system is entirely based on European legislation and is designed to ensure a very high level of protection for humans and the environment.

As part of the product authorisation system under Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market, risk assessments are carried out to ensure that:

a) there are no harmful effects for spray operatives, workers, bystanders or consumers,

b) there are no unacceptable risks to non-target species (e.g. birds, fish, wild mammals, bees or other insects, earthworms and soil macro- and micro-organisms),

c) surface and ground waters are protected.

Consequently, only products that can be used safely, without any unacceptable risks to humans or the environment are authorised for use.

In addition, Directive 128/2009/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 establishing a framework for Community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides, aims to reduce the risks associated with pesticide use. This Directive enhances the high level of protection achieved through the product approval system and places obligations on users, advisors and distributors to be trained and requires equipment to be tested at regular intervals. The Directive also prohibits the aerial spraying of pesticides, requires a more restrictive approach to applying pesticides in certain vulnerable areas and makes the application of integrated pest management a legal requirement.

In addition it requires each Member State to derive and implement a National Action Plan to achieve a more sustainable use of pesticides.

A screening monitoring programme in 2005-2006 looked for Cypermethrin at targeted sites but did not result in any detections. My Department is not aware of any subsequent detections.

The licensing system, involves the evaluation of data and the assessment of risks, to ensure that there are no harmful effects for spray operators, workers, bystanders or consumers. In addition, risk assessments are also carried out to ensure that there are no unacceptable impacts on non-target species such as birds, fish, wild mammals, bees or other insects. Additionally, risk assessments are undertaken to ensure that surface and ground waters are protected to the highest level possible.

A plant protection product is not approved unless it has been proven that it can be used in a particular use scenario without undue risks to non-targets. Therefore, when used in a proper way (dipping and individual application, i.e. no indiscriminate broadcast application), it is not expected to result in widespread deleterious effects to non-target organisms.

The system I have just outlined is similar to that which exists in all EU Member States. During the assessment, each Member State, including Ireland, takes local conditions, such as climate and pest pressure, into account.

Cypermethrin is used to control the large pine weevil Hylobius abietiswhich can be a devastating pest in replanted conifer sites. It is predominantly used as a dipping treatment where plants are allowed to dry before being transplanted in the field. No effects on non-target organisms are envisaged using this method. It can also be applied to individual plants if infestation of Hylobius spp.recurs in year 2 by placing a nozzle on the top of the saplings growing point and administering a dose by pressing a trigger. There is no spray or overall application. Thus exposure of non-target organisms is minimised as much as is practicable.

Cypermethrin is included in the Environmental Protection Agency's Water Framework Directive groundwater quality monitoring programme as an operational monitoring parameter. My Department is not aware of any impact studies in Ireland into the effects of Cypermethrin on the woodland bio-diversity.

My Department has been involved in research for alternative control mechanisms and some certainly offer some promise. Currently, my Department is supporting a research project, called Multi-agent control options for pine weevil. The aim of the project, building on previous research, is to investigate the potential of entomopathogenic (insect-killing) fungi (EPF) alone and in combination with nematodes, for weevil population suppression.

In relation to Coillte’s use of the pesticide, the company has advised me that Coillte has signed up to the Forest Stewardship Council’s® (FSC®) forest certification scheme, a voluntary international forest certification scheme since 2001 and that, under this forest certification scheme, cypermethrin is classed as ‘highly hazardous’ and can only be used in FSC-certified woodlands under a derogation from FSC International. Coillte further advised that there is currently no effective treatment available to control this pest which can cause significant damage to young trees other than using cypermethrin. Coillte state that it currently has specific controls to minimise use, consider non-pesticide management options and trials for practicable alternatives to the use of cypermethrin but added that, until a suitable alternative is available cypermethrin is the only option available to control large pine weevil.

The company also advised that the FSC® cypermethrin derogation is currently up for renewal and that Coillte therefore has applied to FSC International for its continued use in Coillte’s forests. Coillte added that a consultation process has just been completed with stakeholders on the derogation for continued use of cypermethrin.

Coillte advise me that it fulfils its legal obligations and ensures that both staff and contractors engaged in the manual application of cypermethrin are fully trained and certified and that all pesticides are applied according to Environmental & Health and Safety guidelines. In relation to the specific query about water testing, Coillte advise me that it is not obliged to conduct water testing for the impacts on the environment but, to address stakeholder concerns, it conducted a water testing exercise on one site resulting in no cypermethrin being detected in any of the samples taken.