'Fortress Ireland' Tactic For Ash Tree Disease

Further action has been announced by Northern Ireland’s Forestry Minister to combat the threat of the ash tree disease which is affecting Great Britain.

A "Fortress Ireland" approach is being adopted by Minister Michelle O’Neill, as she introduces emergency legislation which will work with similar legislation in the Republic of Ireland, to stop the importation of ash trees.

The measure is being taken by the Minister to help prevent the spread of Chalara ash dieback, a disease of ash trees which is caused by the fungus Chalara fraxinea.

Minister O’Neill said Chalara ash dieback is serious threat to native trees.

She has welcomed the opportunity for cross-border cooperation in a "Fortress Ireland" approach to plant health.

She said: "I held discussions with my counterpart Minister of State Shane McEntee in which we agreed that emergency legislation was essential to control the imports of ash trees into Ireland.

"It was therefore an important step that we have co-ordinated the introduction of legislation so that we have equivalent measures coming into force on the same day north and south."

More than 100,000 ash trees have already been destroyed so far in England and Scotland as a result of the spread of the disease.

Some 100 staff have been redeployed from the Forestry Commission and the Food and Environment and Research Agency to focus on the crisis following the discovery of the disease in separate woodlands in East Anglia. A further 12 sites in East Anglia and Kent are awaiting results to confirm the disease.

Minister O’Neil added: "In addition to the introduction of this legislation, I am convening a meeting of stakeholders and industry representatives next week to discuss further monitoring and control measures to prevent the spread of the disease."

(IT)