Written answers

Tuesday, 14 July 2020

Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Invasive Plant Species

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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345. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the annual budget for rhododendron ponticum clearance in Killarney National Park in each of the years 2000 and 2019, in tabular form. [15219/20]

Photo of Catherine MartinCatherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I have asked my officials to collate the information sought for the period in question and I will send it to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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346. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of rhododendron ponticum in the previously cleared oak woodlands of Killarney National Park; when the last assessment of the woodlands took place; and if it was carried out by independent scientific experts. [15220/20]

Photo of Catherine MartinCatherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The highly invasive non-native weed Rhododendron ponticum occurs in low to moderate, or slight to severe, levels throughout previously cleared oak woodlands of Killarney National Park, depending on the classification terminology being used. Higher densities occur in woodlands close to dense infestations where rhododendron has never been cleared, due to seed rain.

Densities of seeding plants varied from 0.3 plants/ha to 18.6 plants/ha (2018 data, the highest density was from a single clump). Data from selected woods is given in the Table below.

Previously cleared woodlands are the subject of ongoing management. Assessment of rhododendron in these woodlands is also ongoing, with ground surveys and drone surveys carried out in many of these woods in November 2017, May and September-October 2018, May 2019 and early March 2020. All these surveys were carried out by independent scientific experts, with the exception of two smaller surveys which were carried out by a graduate student and an NPWS professional.

Estimated densities/ha based on transect surveys in autumn 2018.

Area Seeding plants/ha
Eagles Nest 1.4
Gortaderaree 0.3
Oak Island 18.6
Bula 3.8
Cahernabane 4.6
Ullauns 10.4
Cromaglan 0.4
Cahnicaun 3.2
Cuckoo Wood 5.6
Brickeen Is. 7.0

Various areas, including some of the above, have been subject to Rhododendron control measures since 2018. In particular, specific contracts were undertaken in 2019 to monitor and remove flowering or seed bearing Rhododendron plants from a number of areas in Killarney National Park. This is in addition to major contracts to undertake total removal of all Rhododendron from locations, including at Eagles Nest, Tomies, Powlagower and Ullauns.

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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347. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if there has been an independent scientific review of the rhododendron ponticum clearance methods currently being used by Killarney National Park; and if those methods have been compared for effectiveness with previous methods employed by a company (details supplied). [15221/20]

Photo of Catherine MartinCatherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) sought to undertake an expert Peer Review of Rhododendron ponticum and the programmes and measures for its control in Killarney National Park. Overseas experts were invited to participate in this independent scientific review. Despite agreement to participate from an independent overseas expert, it has subsequently not proved possible for him to undertake the review. Consequently, the NPWS contracted an expert environmental company to undertake part 1 and 2 of this review. This work is now under way. The NPWS is open, and indeed is expecting, that the review will look at all relevant methods, issues and approaches, including that of the group mentioned by the Deputy.

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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348. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of the EU formal complaint regarding the Annex I habitat in Killarney National Park and the presence of rhododendron ponticum; the steps taken to rectify the issues raised in the formal complaint; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15222/20]

Photo of Catherine MartinCatherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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An environmental NGO made a complaint to the European Commission in 2017. The Commission made the Department aware of the complaint in July 2018. The Department replied to the Commission in respect of the contents of the complaint in August 2018 and an acknowledgment was received.

In June 2019 on foot of further correspondence from the NGO, the Commission contacted the Department asking for comments thereon. The Department responded to the Commission on the 5th July 2019. The contents were acknowledged and no further correspondence has been received by the Department from the Commission in respect of the matter.

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