Is Ireland prepared for fire ants?
A Cork TD has asked how prepared Ireland is for the arrival of an aggressive and dangerous species of ant from South America.
Colonies of the dreaded red fire ant have recently been discovered in Europe for the first time and Cork East TD David Stanton (FF) has asked the Government what it is doing to make sure the species doesn’t get a foothold here.
“Years ago we didn't know about Japanese knotweed, now we do,” said Deputy Stanton at Dáil Éireann yesterday.
“These invasive species have become more prevalent because of the movement of people and global warming,” he added.
Colonies of the destructive ant species were recently discovered in Italy causing concern that they could spread further across the continent.
The ants possess a venomous sting that can cause pain, swelling and itching in humans and can on rare occasions trigger a life-threatening reaction.
Deputy Stanton said one way the species can be brought into the country is in imported soil.
“It can have a devastating effect on agriculture,” continued Mr Stanton. "A while ago it moved to North America where it costs $6b annually.
“It moved to New Zealand and they eradicated it. They were on the ball, they saw it coming and when it arrived they were ready for it and they dealt with it quickly and got rid of it,” he added.
Deputy Stanton also said that reports he had read suggested the species could move to northern Europe “quite easily” with reports of it being found as far north as Finland.
“Is there an awareness of this danger? What agency in the state is responsible if this thing arrives in Ireland and what action can be taken quickly to eradicate it before it gets a foothold here,” he asked.
Responding to the question, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon said the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) under the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is responsible for the implementation of the EU Invasive Species Regulation.
“It is important to note that this is the first such report in Europe and there is no evidence that the species is present in Ireland,” said Minister Heydon.