Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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324. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the immediate actions being taken in response to the recent International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classification of the wild western honeybee (apis mellifera) as endangered within the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60654/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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My Department is fully committed to its role in supporting pollinators in agriculture and has a proactive role in engaging with both EU and National pollinator policy developments. However, the IUCN Red Lists and classification updates are outside the direct remit of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Ireland has taken a strong position on pollinator action and is a leader within the EU. Many policy, projects and actions in place provide support for Wild Honey Bees along with all our other pollinator species. Long-term engagement between my Department, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (NPWS, the National Parks and Wildlife Service) and the National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC) has seen many progressive developments for pollinators across all habitats, including agriculture, which is of particular importance.

Ireland has an All Ireland Pollinator Plan and a National Pollinator Monitoring Scheme in place, both run by the National Biodiversity Data Centre with support from my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. As a result, Ireland is now in a strong position to comply with the EU Pollinator Initiative and Nature Restoration Regulation commitments on Pollinator monitoring.

Other funded Pollinator action and initiatives include the Protecting Farmland Pollinators European Innovation Partnership (EIP) (which ran from ), and two other smaller EIPs; the Great Yellow Bumblebee Project and the Farmer Moth Monitoring EIP. Actions and findings from these projects and initiatives work to support all pollinator species through improving pollinator habitat in agriculture, but also support the development of policy and actions on the ground, such as Planting New Hedgerows, Grass Margins and Planting Traditional Orchards ACRES actions.

My Department continues to work in collaboration with the NBDC and NPWS to support EU Pollinator policy via the EU Biodiversity Platform Working Group on Pollinators.

Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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325. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current status of the Protection of the Native Irish Honey Bee Bill 2021; the reasons for the delay in progressing it beyond second stage in the Dáil; and the timeline for its enactment given the escalating biosecurity threats now confirmed in Ireland, including the Asian hornet. [60655/25]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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The Protection of the Native Irish Honey Bee Bill 2021 which is a Private Members Bill is currently before Dáil Éireann, Second Stage. The Bill seeks to ban the importation of non native honey bees. Progression of the Bill through Dáil Éireann is subject to the procedures of the Oireachtas.

When the Bill was proceeding through the Seanad my Department raised some concerns in relation to imposing a statutory ban on the importation of non-native honey bees as it could constitute a restriction on trade under EU Regulations.

Following advice received from the Office of the Attorney General, my Department procured independent scientific evidence and in October 2023, a 12 month contract was signed with the National University of Ireland, Galway for the provision of research services on the native Irish honey bee (Apis mellifera mellifera).

The research work concluded in December 2024, and the research report was subsequently evaluated by an external expert. Following the completion of the evaluation the research service provider (NUIG) was afforded the opportunity to respond to the evaluator’s comments. This process has recently concluded and is under consideration.

Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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326. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures being taken to prevent the importation of non-native honey bee subspecies and colonies which contribute to introgressive hybridisation and disease transmission; and if consideration will be given to an immediate administrative moratorium on imports pending legislative action. [60656/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The movement of bees within the European Union is governed by Regulation (EU) 2016/429 (the Animal Health Law) which is supplemented by Commission Implementing and Delegated Regulations (Regulation (EU) 2020/688 and 2021/403). These EU regulations contain specific provisions to safeguard the health of bees located in the territory of the Union. The importation of honeybees into Ireland is allowed under these Regulations. There are no plans to introduce a temporary ban on the importation of bees.

Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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327. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has conducted a recent assessment of Ireland's biosecurity readiness to prevent the introduction of new honey bee pests such as tropilaelaps mites and the small hive beetle; and to provide details of contingency plans currently in place. [60657/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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EU Animal Health Regulations support biosecurity by helping to prevent the introduction of diseases and their spread within the Union. These Regulations set down rules for the entry of bees into and movement within the EU. The Regulations also contain specific provisions to safeguard the health of bees located in the territory of the Union, including safeguarding against tropilaelaps mites and the Small Hive Beetle.

To date, Small Hive beetle and Tropilaelaps spp have not been reported in Ireland. Nevertheless, my Department is aware of the increasing threat posed to the beekeeping sector by these pests. In light of this increasing threat, we have requested our Animal Health Risk Assessment Unit to assess the risks posed to the bees from these pests.

Furthermore, my Department engaged with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland to enhance biosecurity readiness, and has participated in a bee health contingency test exercise held in conjunction with the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute in February 2024.

My Department operates the Sentinel Apiary Programme the aim of which is to ensure the early detection of three exotic pests, Small Hive Beetle, Tropilaelaps spp. and the Asian Hornet. The 2025 programme has concluded and anyone interested in participating in the programme for 2026 can contact Beekeeping@agriculture.gov.ie for further information.

Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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328. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Department will engage with the Department of the Climate, Energy and the Environment, and with the Northern Ireland authorities, to establish an all-island biosecurity protocol and joint strategy for the protection of apis mellifera, Ireland's native black honey bee. [60658/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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EU Animal Health Regulations support biosecurity by helping to prevent the introduction of diseases and their spread within the Union. These Regulations set down rules for the entry of bees into and movement within the EU and they contain specific provisions to safeguard the health of bees located in the territory of the Union. These Regulations also apply to Northern Ireland. My Department liaises with colleagues in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland in this regard.

I recognise the important role beekeepers and the beekeeping associations play in the promotion and protection of Apis mellifera mellifera.

My Department provides significant supports towards the protection of the native Irish honey bee Apis mellifera mellifera. These supports include, but are not limited to, funding awards under the Genetic Resources Grant Aid Scheme, direct grant aid to the National Beekeeping Associations and the grant aid under Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture Sector. These measures support education on and conservation of the native Irish honey bee and demonstrate the Department’s commitment to the sector.