Dangers of Noxious Weeds | Ciaran Cuffe

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25 October 2005	Agriculture	Dangers of Noxious Weeds

Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the action she will take to limit the dangers from noxious weeds (details supplied).

Minister for Agriculture and Food: The Noxious Weeds Act 1936 provides for the control of the spread of the following six noxious weeds: thistle, ragwort and dock — 1937 order; common barbery — 1958 order; male wild hop plant — 1965 order; wild oat — 1973 order. Under this Act, it is an offence not to prevent the spread of weeds scheduled as noxious weeds under the Act. The owner, occupier, user or manager of lands on which these weeds are growing is liable, upon conviction, to be fined. In the case of fences and margins of public roads, the local authority charged with the maintenance of such roads is the responsible person. The Department is examining the provisions of the Act with a view to updating and strengthening them in accordance with good agricultural and environmental practice. My Department has written to all local authorities charged with the maintenance of public roads to seek their co-operation in the elimination of these weeds from the roadsides and other areas under their control. Consideration will be given to timely press releases and to eradication campaigns where ragwort is concerned. In the present circumstances, advice and persuasion is the most appropriate policy to pursue and that the good will of local authorities and others can be relied on to take appropriate action. A Teagasc advisory leaflet is available for the control of noxious weeds and is revised in line with advances in new control procedures.

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