Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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517. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to set out the number of cases of Japanese knotweed identified across all local authority areas in the country; the actions being taken at both local and national level to eradicate this dangerous weed; if a national eradication strategy is in place; the person or bodies overseeing this, if it exists; the details of the strategy; if funding has been made available to local authorities for this purpose; if she will commit funding in budget 2017 to local authorities to deal with this problem; and if research either nationally or internationally is ongoing to attempt to find a product to eradicate Japanese knotweed. [26628/16]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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518. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if any surveys have been carried out on the way to address the growing problem with Japanese knotweed; the steps she is taking to eradicate or control the plant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26746/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 517 and 518 together.

I am very aware of the growing public concern about the impact of invasive species here, including Japanese Knotweed. In this regard, I wish to advise that my Department is responsible for the enforcement of the Wildlife Acts and the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 477/2011), both of which prohibit the spreading of invasive species.

In law, control of invasive species such as Japanese knotweed is a matter for landowners. While my Department carries out considerable work on controls in National Parks and Nature Reserves - for example on the rhododendron threat in Killarney National Park – it does not have the resources required to extend such work into urban areas or the wider countryside, and is not in a position to provide dedicated funds for such work to other bodies, including local authorities.

There is considerable work being carried out at present by a range of agencies in this area. While there is no national eradication plan, I will be considering options for improved national co-ordination of work on invasive species.

My Department does not collect data from local authorities on the incidence of Japanese knotweed in their areas or indeed their actions to deal with this species. However, information on the distribution of invasive species in Ireland, including Japanese knotweed, is available on the invasive species section of the National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC) website at .

My Department has worked closely over the years with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) to fund and manage the Invasive Species Ireland Project and this initiative has resulted in Best Practice Management Guidelines for a number of invasive species, including Japanese knotweed, being published on the project website at www.invasivespeciesireland.com.