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.

Plants from this consignment were planted at 11 sites and 33,000 plants have now been destroyed, regardless of whether they showed symptoms.

Inspectors from the Forest Service are maintaining active surveillance across ash plantations, as they have since 2008.

Forestry Minister Shane McEntee said strong measures taken by the Department of Agriculture would ensure the disease did not gain a foothold here.

“It is a devastating disease and it’s been in Europe since back in 2006 and 2007. Since then we have been monitoring the situation in relation to this disease.”

“We are now putting in a ban on the import of any plants and seeds from Europe and we are even going further this week when we will put in place a ban on the import of any ash plants that haven’t got the bark removed on them or is not reduced to 20% moisture through dry killing,” Mr McEntee said.

Measures were introduced last week to prohibit the importation into Ireland of plant material from ash dieback infected areas.

These measures have been introduced in conjunction with similar moves by authorities in the North.

They will make it an offence to import ash plants and seed from areas within the EU that are known to have the disease.

Mr McEntee also acknowledged the concerns of hurley manufacturers over the disease, given that nearly 70% of ash for hurleys is imported.

However, he said the disease would not impact on hurley manufacturers, as long as all stakeholders complied with protective measures.