John Brady
Question:
339. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details on costs of removing Cherry Laurel from the Glen of the Downs in County Wicklow for each year from 2000 to 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62698/25]
View answer
The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Orders.
The NPWS has performed a search of its records and has confirmed that the information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. During the twenty-five year period covered by this question, the NPWS has been a constituent part of a number of different Departments. During that period, reporting processes and operational priorities have significantly changed and evolved.
It should be noted that control measures are not always separately funded and, in those cases, it would not be possible to estimate costs including staff time and use of other equipment.
In recent years, however, specific funding was allocated to Glen of the Downs Nature Reserve to help to address the issue of Cherry Laurel. Following earlier trials of control methods, investments of approximately €65,000 in 2022 and €17,000 in 2025 were made in helping to manage Cherry Laurel at the site.
The work in 2022 enabled the NPWS to remove approximately 4 hectares of Cherry Laurel from the nature reserve. Following on from those works, in 2025 the remaining infestation of Cherry Laurel located on the Eastern side of the nature reserve, totalling an additional c. 1.5 ha in size, was treated and the previously treated areas were re-examined for regrowth. The areas previously treated were confirmed to have very limited regrowth in those areas previously treated and thus required only minor further intervention.
A woodland management plan is currently in preparation for the nature reserve with the remaining Cherry Laurel on the Western side of the reserve being mapped and assessed. Following this, the Cherry Laurel there will likewise be treated on a phased basis annually over the coming years.
