Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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1654.To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there are plans to relinquish the protected zone status with respect to fireblight disease (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31909/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Plant Health within the European Union (EU) is governed by the EU Plant Health Regulation 2031 of 2016 and the Official Controls Regulation 625 of 2017. These Regulations also harmonise the requirements in areas such as, rules on surveillance for pests of plant health and rules on actions to be taken in the event of the confirmation of the presence of specific plant pests, including Fireblight and rules of maintenance of protected zones.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine conducts annual plant health surveillance checks for plant pests and diseases, including the protected zone pest, Fireblight (Erwinia amylovora(Burrill) Winslow et al.). In 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, there are 53 Fireblight outbreak locations in 22 counties.

On completion of the 2024 annual plant health surveillance plan, my Department will review the surveillance results and will make a decision on the retention of Ireland's protected zone status in respect of fireblight.

Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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1655.To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current extent of fireblight disease in Ireland; how this is being identified, monitored and evaluated; the steps his Department is taking to eradicate the disease and raise public awareness in relation to it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31910/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Plant Health in the European Union (EU) is governed by the EU Plant Health Regulation 2016/2031 and the Official Controls Regulation 2017/625. These Regulations harmonise the rules in areas such as; surveillance for pests of plant health; actions to be taken in the event of the confirmation of the presence of specific plant pests, including Fireblight; and rules on the trade of plants, including the movement of Fireblight hosts plants into Ireland.

Approximately 1,100 - 1,500 samples are taken annually for Fireblight testing at various locations, including nurseries, garden centres, public parks, private gardens, roadsides etc. These form part of a broader plant health surveillance programme. Officers conduct visual inspections, take samples (rapid diagnostic test kits are used to aid in sampling decisions) and submit samples to our official laboratory. In 2023, this Department confirmed 17 outbreak locations in 12 counties. To date in 2024, there are 16 outbreak locations in 11 counties.

For each confirmed outbreak site a “Demarcated area” (DA) consisting of a 500m “infested zone” and a 5km “buffer zone” are established in line with the known biology of the pest. Delimiting surveys are conducted to establish the true extent of the outbreaks and can result in the revision of the size of infested and buffer zones. Under EU rules a 24-month period from official confirmation of the presence of the pest is permitted to complete surveillance and achieve eradication, where possible.

Methods of disposal on infected material vary but typically involves either deep burial or incineration of infected material.

This Department has published a factsheet in relation to Fireblight and is published on DAFM website and this was distributed locally within DA’s informing recipients of the outbreak, actions to be taken and provided contact details for this Department. Landowners or private residents directly affected by the outbreaks also received these details. Where outbreaks occurred in public parks/roadsides etc., officers from this Department engaged directly with local authority staff and their contractors. A similar approach will be followed for the 2024 outbreaks.

Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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1656.To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department is engaging with Irish fruit growers in relation to fireblight disease; the meetings that have been had to date; the outcomes of those meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31911/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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This Department has published a factsheet in relation to Fireblight on its website. This factsheet together with a cover letter, was distributed locally within the demarcated area, during delimiting surveys at Fireblight outbreaks in 2023. It informed recipients of the outbreak, and actions to be taken. It also provided contact details for this Departments outbreak investigation team. Landowners or private residents directly affected by the outbreaks also received these details. Where outbreaks occurred in public parks/roadsides etc., my Department engaged directly with local authority staff and their contractors. A similar approach will be followed for the 2024 outbreaks.

There have been no meetings specifically with Irish Fruit Growers in relation to Fireblight.