Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)
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466. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the Protection of the Native Irish Honeybee Bill 2021; when the Bill is expected to progress further; if his Department is considering other legislation or mechanisms to protect the native Irish honeybee in the interim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40926/26]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Protection of the Native Irish Honey Bee Bill 2021, a Private Members Bill, which seeks to ban the importation of non-native honey bees, is currently before Dáil Éireann, Second Stage. Progression of the Bill through Dáil Éireann is subject to the procedures of the Oireachtas.

Following legal advice, my Department procured independent scientific evidence and in October 2023, a 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 was afforded the opportunity to respond to the evaluator’s comments and these comments were received in September 2025. My Department is currently finalising the overall response to the report.

My Department is very supportive of beekeepers and beekeeping associations in their efforts in the conservation of the native Irish honey bee. The Annual Grants to Irish National Beekeepers Federations which is Exchequer funded provides an annual grant to the four Irish National Beekeepers Federations. In 2025, the four national beekeeping federations received a total of €25,500 through this measure for initiatives, including the conservation of the native Irish honey bee.

My Department also provides funding under Conservation of Plant and Animal Genetic Resources Scheme. The Native Irish Honey Bee Society (NIHBS) received funding in 2021 and 2024 under this scheme for projects related to the conservation of the native Irish honey bee and their application under the 2026 Scheme has also been approved.

My Department also supports Irish beekeeping through the provision of grant aid for capital investments by individual beekeepers in specialised beekeeping related equipment and structures including specialised bee breeding equipment. In addition, €121,000 was paid out under the National Apiculture Programme in 2025 to support beekeeping through an approved applied research project.