Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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1684. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide an update on efforts to eradicate Japanese knotweed; the amount her Department is spending on the problem in 2015; if there is European funding that her Department may apply for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30668/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Control of an invasive alien species such as Japanese knotweed is primarily the responsibility of the owner of the land on which it is found. My Department is not involved currently in any eradication or control measures in respect of Japanese knotweed and consequently will incur no expenditure this year in that regard. Where an invasive species presents a real threat to a protected site managed by my Department, such as National Parks or State-owned Nature Reserves, Departmental staff would intervene. For example, considerable work has been undertaken on removal of rhododendron in several National Parks.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department worked with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) to fund and manage the Invasive Species Ireland Project between2006 and 2013. This initiative provides advice and guidance on the management of a range of invasive species, including the Japanese Knotweed.

Best Practice Management Guidelines for Japanese knotweed have been published and can be accessed on the project website at .These guidelines provide practical advice to persons and organisations, including local authorities, on the removal and disposal of these species.

In addition, my Department is supporting the development of a Japanese knotweed protocol for Ireland. A number of agencies, including the National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC), Inland Fisheries Ireland and the National Roads Authority are involved in drafting the protocol, which it is hoped will be completed by next summer.

The EU’s LIFE Nature Fund has been used to target the control or eradication of invasive species as part of project actions, although much of the funding is directed towards work in Natura 2000 sites designated under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives, where knotweed infestation may not be a high priority problem.

In addition, projects implementing actions targeting invasive species can be considered under the LIFE Biodiversity funding strand.