Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 December 2025
461. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures being taken to address the encroachment of bracken on upland areas (details supplied) which is reducing biodiversity and farming viability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67706/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI note that the upland areas to which the Deputy refers are the Comeragh Mountains, which is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) with a diverse range of habitats, including blanket bog, heath, upland grassland, scree, exposed rock, lakes and streams. The blanket bog represents the south-eastern extremity of the range of this habitat type in Ireland. Overall, this site is of considerable conservation importance.
Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) is a common fern in the Irish countryside. Under certain conditions, such as where there has been heavy grazing or fires, bracken can become dominant and where it does so, it can lead to the loss of protected habitats and loss of grazing land. It can also be poisonous to livestock, and it can provide a refuge for ticks, which can transmit Lyme’s disease.
With reference to measures being taken to address the encroachment of bracken, there are certain measures available under the Co-operation approach of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES). The Comeragh Mountains SAC falls entirely within the East Southeast ACRES Co-operation Zone, which falls within the remit of the ACRES Leinster Co-Operation Project (CP) Team. There are two actions in relation to bracken management that ACRES Co-operation participants may avail of, in the form of Non-Productive Investments (NPIs) and Landscape Actions (LAs), with those actions being ‘Bracken Strimming’ and ‘Bracken Mechanical’.
These actions are targeted at areas where encroaching bracken poses a threat to protected habitats, grazed habitats, to livestock or public health, to areas where scorecards are losing marks due to encroaching bracken, and also to areas of dense bracken at key locations where it is interfering with access.
ACRES Co-operation participants may not apply for NPIs on commonage lands, but Landscape Actions are possible, with applications submitted by the ACRES CP Teams on behalf of the participants.
Applications were received, in the most recent Landscape Action application window, for bracken removal (LA Bracken Strimming and LA Bracken Mechanical) in respect of a total of 15.56 hectares. All such Landscape Action applications are now undergoing environmental screening by the relevant CP Teams.
