Press release
Launch of the Mid-Term Report on the department’s Plant Health and Biosecurity Strategy 2020-2025
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine launched the Mid-Term Report on the Plant Health and Biosecurity Strategy 2020-2025. The Chief Plant Health Officer for Ireland, Louise Byrne, thanked all stakeholders for their engagement and contribution to implementing the recommendations across the three pillars of the strategy.
The Plant Health and Biosecurity Strategy 2020-2025 sets out the importance of plant health and biosecurity for Ireland as well as ensuring that all stakeholders are aware of the risks to plant health, and their role and responsibilities to reduce that risk. The Strategy seeks to minimise the threat posed to plants by the potential introduction and establishment of plant pests and diseases.
The Mid-Term Report provides an assessment of progress across the 18 recommendations in the Strategy. A key deliverable under this strategy was the establishment of a Pest Risk Analysis Unit within the department. This Unit continuously monitors for emerging plant pest threats and conducts risk assessments on those pests deemed most important to Ireland.
Other key achievements to date include the investment in and upgrade of facilities at Border Control Posts, the expansion of plant pest surveillance capability, and a range of awareness raising and education initiatives to support stakeholders in both meeting their legislative requirements and proactively protecting plant health.
Addressing the launch of the Mid-term Report, Diarmuid Gavin FAO Goodwill Ambassador for Ireland for Plant Health, highlighted the role the general public played in the interception of Oak Processionary Moth in a public park in Dublin and said:
“Protecting plant health and Ireland’s favourable plant health status requires a collaborative effort by all stakeholders including every citizen.”
Diarmuid Gavin was appointed as to the role of FAO Goodwill Ambassador for Ireland in May 2022. As Goodwill Ambassador, Diarmuid helps FAO promote plant health and publicise the importance of promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems and combatting climate change through more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable practices that can begin in peoples’ gardens or window boxes.
Oak Processionary Moth – In June 2020, there was a finding of the harmful organism Oak Processionary Moth at a public park in Dublin by a member of the public. Ireland has a Protected Zone status for this Moth. Further investigations revealed that this tree was imported from another EU Member State and was planted in the Spring of 2020. The nest was removed within 6 hours, and formally identified by the lab. All Oak trees from the imported batch were destroyed. An intensive survey was carried out in the surrounding area and there were no other findings. New import regulations in relation to import of Oak were introduced – requirements for certain height, certain width, free from OPM.