Written answers

Wednesday, 20 April 2016

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Pesticide Use

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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161. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures that are available to control the pest, willow beetle, given that the growing of willow crop has become more prevalent in recent years; if he is aware that the willow beetle causes distress to householders in the vicinity of lands growing the crop; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7382/16]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I wish to draw the Deputy’s attention to a publication on ‘Short Rotation Coppice Willow – Best Practice Guidelines’ which is available on my Department’s website. This publication is the outcome of research by Teagasc and AFBI (Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute, Belfast) and contains information in relation to Pests and pest control. It is noted that beetle populations vary considerably from year to year and that a heavy infestation in a particular year does not mean that the following year will be equally affected. The Guidelines also advise that if population numbers are large, they can be reduced by target spraying the borders of the plantation with insecticide when the beetles are re-colonising the plantation from their overwintering sites in early spring. The Guidelines however advise that this is a one-off operation and routine spraying is not recommended for both economic and ecological reasons.

As there tends to be a large amount of parasitism and predation of willow beetle eggs from natural enemies, any chemical intervention needs to be sympathetic to natural control mechanisms. While currently there are no insecticides authorised for use on willow, my officials are examining the possibility of issuing such approval.

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