New rules will apply to anyone importing certain trees, plants and plant products from other EU member states, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Senator Pippa Hackett has announced.
The regulations set out the notification requirements for the importers of plant species, which have the potential to harbour pests and diseases with the ability to cause destruction to Irish plants.
“By notifying the Department of the arrival of these plants and plant products into the state, operators will be playing a vital role in preventing the spread of destructive pests and diseases.
"This will help to maintain and further strengthen Ireland’s favourable plant health status,” Minister Hackett stated.
The main plants listed as notifiable include:
Oak.Apple.Pear.Hawthorn.Mountain ash.Chestnut.Rosemary.Lavender.Sweetpea bush.Pine.The main plant products listed as notifiable include:
Wood fuel.Conifer bark.Certain non-bark free conifer logs.Christmas trees >3m in height.The new rules will require the importers of these plants and plant products to notify the Department of their importation no more than 48 hours after arrival into Ireland.
The Department will subsequently have the ability to make the necessary arrangements needed for the inspection of the plants and plant products.
Biosecurity
“One of the key principles of my Department’s plant health and biosecurity strategy is risk-based surveillance for early detection in line with international best practice and scientific evidence,” the Minister continued.
“The introduction of additional notification requirements will enable my Department to ensure proper surveillance of trade in these host species and early detection of pests and diseases,” she added.
Among the information that must be supplied in the import notification to the Department is the date of the plant’s arrival, the species of the plant, the plant’s supplier, the plant’s country of origin and the destination of the plant within Ireland.
New rules will apply to anyone importing certain trees, plants and plant products from other EU member states, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Senator Pippa Hackett has announced.
The regulations set out the notification requirements for the importers of plant species, which have the potential to harbour pests and diseases with the ability to cause destruction to Irish plants.
“By notifying the Department of the arrival of these plants and plant products into the state, operators will be playing a vital role in preventing the spread of destructive pests and diseases.
"This will help to maintain and further strengthen Ireland’s favourable plant health status,” Minister Hackett stated.
The main plants listed as notifiable include:
Oak.Apple.Pear.Hawthorn.Mountain ash.Chestnut.Rosemary.Lavender.Sweetpea bush.Pine.The main plant products listed as notifiable include:
Wood fuel.Conifer bark.Certain non-bark free conifer logs.Christmas trees >3m in height.The new rules will require the importers of these plants and plant products to notify the Department of their importation no more than 48 hours after arrival into Ireland.
The Department will subsequently have the ability to make the necessary arrangements needed for the inspection of the plants and plant products.
Biosecurity
“One of the key principles of my Department’s plant health and biosecurity strategy is risk-based surveillance for early detection in line with international best practice and scientific evidence,” the Minister continued.
“The introduction of additional notification requirements will enable my Department to ensure proper surveillance of trade in these host species and early detection of pests and diseases,” she added.
Among the information that must be supplied in the import notification to the Department is the date of the plant’s arrival, the species of the plant, the plant’s supplier, the plant’s country of origin and the destination of the plant within Ireland.
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