Written answers

Tuesday, 6 November 2018

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Pesticide Use

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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769. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if Coillte maintains full and comprehensive records of all pesticide used by the company. [44934/18]

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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770. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied that none of the pesticides used by Coillte is a threat to human or animal health. [44935/18]

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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771. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps taken with Coillte to ensure that pesticides used by the company do not contaminate groundwater and thus pose health and environmental risks. [44936/18]

Photo of Michael CreedMichael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 769, 770 and 771 together.

Coillte was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the usage and application of pesticides, are the responsibility of the company.

Coillte advises that it implements and enforces procedures to ensure all Coillte operators who apply chemicals are fully trained in health and safety and appropriate safe handling and application of chemicals and wear appropriate protective equipment at all times. Coillte further advise that all Coillte operatives are trained on environmental aspects of chemical application such as protection of watercourses and other important natural features. Coillte adds that it erects notice signs in its forests to inform the public where chemicals have been applied.

The company also advises that Coillte’s environmental management systems are certified externally to ISO standards on health and safety and the environment (ISO 14001 & OHSAS 18001) and Coillte’s overall forest management is dual certified as fully sustainable by both the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for Endorsing Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC).

Coillte advises that it uses two plant protection products in forestry, a herbicide, glyphosate, and an insecticide, cypermethrin and that it only uses plant protection products that are statutorily approved as safe to use in forestry. Coillte add that it continually monitors and updates all research in regard to this to ensure that its forests are maintained to the highest standard and with regard to the best silvicultural expertise available.

Glyphosate and cypermethrin have been approved for use in forestry nationally by the Pesticide Registration and Control Division of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and further approved for use in the European Union by the European Commission.

Coillte advises that it records all of its use of plant protection products on its lands and that the company’s procedures are checked and audited regularly both internally and externally.

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