The Dealer was glad to read this week that there’s a new invasive species plan for Ireland for tackling plants and species that are non-native to Ireland.

The “new approach”, as it is being called, will see an invasive species bureau established between the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the National Biodiversity Data Centre.

Plants such as rhododendron and Japanese knotweed and animals like the American mink, Asian hornet, feral ferret and Muntjac deer are all invasive to Ireland.

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The Dealer can’t wait to read about how the bureau plans to tackle the acres of rhododendron and other invasive species in the country’s national parks and other areas around the country. The cynic in The Dealer wonders will the bureau be doing an audit of garden centres and a stock take of ferrets around the country in a bid to clampdown on these species as part of its work.