Victor Boyhan warns of bark beetle threat, calls for forestry overhaul

Senator Byne. Okay, thank you, Kerr Herlach. And firstly, I want to welcome the team. I particularly want to direct really most of my questions to Barry Delaney because I'm just going to focus on one issue. The Chair initially said when we came here today that it was a very vast array of issues that would come under the topic. And I understand that in terms of buyer security. So I want to just talk about the bark, the beetle. And I know, Barry, you referred to different issues. I suppose the very outset I want to acknowledge that the Irish government have a new 1.3 billion forestry programme with ambitious targets for the delivery of it. I want to acknowledge the determination and the energy of Minister Healy-Way in terms of driving that policy forward. We're still way below our current figures in terms of our ambition. But look, it's early days yet. So I want to wish that well, the Minister, and I want to wish you particularly well in it. But I suppose really what I want to say is that I think it is crucial that we revise our strategies. And I know looking at the website today, you know, the plant health and biodiversity strategy 2020 to 2025 has expired. There's a public consultation which I think closed last week. So there's a bit of work to do on that. You might just touch on that yourself later on. But I suppose it is crucial that we revise the strategies to mitigate the potential impact of the bark beetle across our entire forestry value chain and estate. It is a massive industry. We know that over 48% is sicker spruce, spruce of varying degrees in terms of forestry. I was in Leitrum the other day, and I see my colleague here to the right, TD for there. I mean, when you think of the potential outbreak, just for that county alone, it is enormous. We have over-invested and over-focused on one type of species. We don't have diversity in species planting and forestry. We acknowledge that. We are prioritising everything by productivity rather than by a more diverse, environmentally sustainable forestry programme. And that is going to take time to change. That's a long way. But we know there are challenges for the international markets. We know there's the ability to treat our climate targets if this is impacted. You quote a lot of work in terms of the UK, and I suppose what I've really convinced, having read a number of documents in the last week, we now know that the bulk of this is airborne. It's not. We don't have that much coming in any other way. We know that we have it in Sussex at the moment. We've had it in Kent. There is a lack of joint of thinking. While you might have informal arrangements, we need a wake-up call right across the European Union in relation to this. So this bark beetle is really a potential crisis. We are walking into a crisis because of our heavy over-reliance on certain species. So I think we also need to reconcile our silver culture and our forestry protection and all of that. So that's another day's work. What I want to say to you is, you know, in terms of, the Chair touched on earlier, and I think he made a very good point, you know, emerging technology trends to assist with the forestry risk, such as the bark beetle. This is happening in the UK. This is happening out in Romania. This is happening right across Europe, because I've seen models of it. And the forestry risk management in terms of digital transformation, we've got to embrace that. And it works. I've seen it work. So satellite, close-range, you know, sensory stuff, artificial intelligence, horizon scanning tools, all of these things play a very significant part in the UK in managing the bark beetle. So you might just touch on that. I just want to say that the IFA were with us last year. I had a look at their presentation to us earlier today. And they raise concerns about confidence. Confidence in terms of biodiversity measures. This is what they say. And inspection regimes at ports. But I think the more, and I think they have genuine concerns. And we have to learn something from the elm disease. We're wiped out, effectively. We don't have much elm in the country at all now. The ash die back. And new diseases attacking pine trees now, pine weevils. These are serious issues for us in Ireland. So really what I'm saying is, you know, what are we going to do about it in terms of a new strategy, in terms of bringing the forestry sector on? And I'll finish on this because we know the problems. We don't necessarily know the answers. And this is specifically in relation to forestry. You know, it's hard to believe in this country. Most countries all over Europe have a national forestry authority. It's one that the IFA have called for. It's one that members of this committee have called for. And I might ask you just for your comments in relation to that. And I'll finish on this point. The invasive species, I note that the local authorities have responsibility for invasive species. And it would have struck me, that's the Department of Heritage, Housing, and local government. And there's a real need to bring all of that into the Department of Agriculture. So there are just some thoughts. But, you know, you might let me have your comments on those. Eight seconds, go ahead. I'll not do that, but we can come back to some of these again. Two hours, we have another two hours. Oh, yeah, we'll get you in the next round. On the next round, yeah. The Minister will be in February, yeah. Thanks, Senator, thanks for your comments. I entirely agree that that value chain and forestry is worth about two billion euros a year, two billion euros within the economy. So it's very important to us. You talk about the reliance on certain species and sick spruce. Yes, it's dominant. It's about 50% of the forestry state. However, in the more recent planting programs that we have approved under state aid with the European Commission, you can see the planting has moved and changed with people moving towards planting of broadleaf species. And we're beyond 50% in that in the current planting program. And in terms of the commercial planting, then there's been a certain change in that in terms of it's not a full 100% planting of sicker spruce. There's a mix within that. There's a mix in terms of some broadleaf species in there as well as setbacks. So there are some legacy issues, but not in terms of what's happening and being planted now. It's taking into account we need more biodiversity. But we also have to meet our climate targets, and that involves having commercial timber available to go into our building sector. So that's probably a bit beyond this discussion in biosecurity. So if we come into the biosecurity piece then, yes, so I think the infrastructure we've put in place at the ports is excellent. And you've been down in Dublin Port, you've seen how we inspect there and elsewhere in terms of what we inspect and what we come through. That's really, really important. And in terms of the bark beetle in particular, and when we say bark beetle, what you're talking about is ips topographus. So that's widespread in Europe, predominantly around Norway spruce. So it doesn't really impact on sick spruce unless sick spruce is stressed or under pressure. OK, and that could be to our benefit if we did have a single finding or a small number of findings. So it's going to probably be found through wind blow. It's probably going to be found in our traps along the East Coast. And if we can deal with that immediately and not allow any population to deliver, that's our hope in terms of how that will help protect the rest of the forestry state. We're working very closely with our UK colleagues in terms of the modelling that they're using. And in terms of our own modelling, we're also using drones, we're using heat mapping, we're using infrared mapping as well to see where are these susceptible forests, where are they weak, and what can we do to try and protect them as well, Senator. You're happy with that, Senator? Yes, yep, yep. Deputy Mayor.