Call for national taskforce as Japanese knotweed delays housing project

A call was made yesterday for a national taskforce to be established to combat Japanese knotweed as the invasive weed has forced the delay of a near €9m social housing project in West Cork.

Fine Gale senator Tim Lombard said the badly needed 56-house project at Beechgrove in Clonakilty is on hold due to the presence of the plant at the site.

“The resulting financial consequence is high,” he said. “The estimated cost of construction for the Clonakilty housing project is €8.7m which will only increase due to these eradication delays.