Pest warning if timber imports increase due to forestry crisis 

Bark beetle could damage spruce-based forestry and timber industries

As supplies of timber for construction run down, the Department of Agriculture has warned only bark-free timber can be imported from Europe, because of bark beetles. 

Importers of logs from Germany have been warned of the danger of introducing damaging bark beetles into Ireland.

As supplies of Irish lumber run down due to felling licence appeals, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed that it is currently dealing with a number of queries concerning logs from Germany, and said it regards this trade as a potential high-risk pathway for the introduction of Ips typographus (eight-toothed spruce bark beetle) and other damaging bark beetles into Ireland.