Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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680. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if guidance on the legislation governing limitations on common ragwort, field thistle, spear thistle, broad-leaved dock and curled dock will be provided; and his plans to review these limitations given the value of these plants to Ireland's biodiversity and broader ecosystem. [2936/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is responsible for overseeing the control and the prevention of the spread of certain weeds under the Noxious Weeds Act, 1936. It is an offence for the owner/occupier of lands not to prevent the growth and spread of noxious weeds. Owners and occupiers of land must ensure that they abide by the provisions in the Act.

The following weeds are listed in the Act: Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris), Thistle, Dock, Common barberry, Male wild hop plant, Wild oat.

Information on Noxious Weeds and guidance notes on best practice for control are available on the gov.ie website.

There were a number of reasons for the specific designating of noxious weeds under the Act. By way of example, Ragwort is a highly poisonous plant, and it can cause serious damage to the liver of farm animals. The only way to safeguard against loss from ragwort poisoning is to eradicate the weed either by pulling, ploughing, cutting or chemical control. Where noxious weeds are not controlled, seeds can spread to adjoining lands, thereby causing further infestation.

There are no plans at present to review the noxious weeds act but I will be keep this under close consideration.