Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 May 2026
910. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the scientific assessment into the threats posed by imported non-native honey bees, commissioned by his Department and reportedly completed in December 2024, will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35321/26]
View answer911. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current status of the Protection of the Native Irish Honey Bee Bill 2021; the reason for the delay at Stage 2 in Dáil Éireann previously; the timeframe for progressing the legislation now; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35322/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 910 and 911 together.
The Protection of the Native Irish Honey Bee Bill 2021, which seeks to ban the importation of non-native honey bees, is a Private Members Bill and is currently before Dáil Éireann, Second Stage. Progression of the Bill through Dáil Éireann is subject to the procedures of the Oireachtas.
Following advice from the Office of the Attorney General, my Department procured independent scientific evidence and in October 2023, a 12 month contract was signed with the National University of Ireland, Galway for the provision of research services on the native Irish honey bee (Apis mellifera mellifera).
The research work concluded in December 2024, and the research report was subsequently evaluated by an external expert. Following the completion of the evaluation, the research service provider was afforded the opportunity to respond to the evaluator’s comments and these comments were received in September 2025. My Department is currently finalising the overall response to the report and this is expected to conclude shortly.
