Imports of ash plants and trees banned

More emergency measures will be introduced this week to prevent a devastating fungal disease killing ash trees across Europe from spreading here.

The chalara fraxinea ash dieback disease has wiped out about 90% of the ash trees in Denmark and has been found in older trees in England.

In recent weeks, the first confirmed case in Ireland was found in Leitrim. The young trees from this site that tested positive for the disease have been destroyed.