Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 May 2026
821. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the independent scientific assessment of the threat to apis mellifera mellifera, commissioned by his Department under a 12-month research contract signed in October 2023 with University of Galway and delivered in December 2024, will be published in full; the reasons for the delay in its publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37694/26]
View answer822. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his Department's position on the Protection of the Native Irish Honey Bee Bill 2021 (Bill No. 133 of 2021), which passed all Seanad stages in October 2024 and is currently awaiting Second Stage in Dáil Éireann; whether the Government intends to support, oppose or amend the Bill; the timeline for bringing the Bill to Second Stage in the Dáil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37695/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 821 and 822 together.
The Protection of the Native Irish Honey Bee Bill 2021, a Private Members Bill, which seeks to ban the importation of non-native honey bees, 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 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.
