Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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740. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding allocated for the monitoring, reporting or trapping of the Asian hornet that can be applied for by local authorities, beekeeping groups or individual beekeepers across the island. [66164/25]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage leads on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species such as the Asian Hornet.

My Department provides funding to the beekeeping associations through Annual Grants to Irish National Beekeepers Federations. Last year over €23,000 was paid out to the four main beekeeping associations to help their associated members to pursue the craft of beekeeping through various initiatives including also education around the Asian Hornet.

My Department also operates the Asian Hornet Monitoring Programme which is a voluntary programme for beekeepers in Ireland. The programme was established to assist in the early detection of the Asian Hornet.