Timber imports from Scotland should be suspended until a full review of the biosecurity measures for the spruce bark beetle is undertaken, the IFA has claimed.

IFA president Francie Gorman told the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture this week that close to 200,000ha of Irish coniferous forests were at risk if the spruce bark beetle gets into the country.

“That is why the IFA is calling for a temporary suspension of the importation of timber from Scotland until a full review of the biosecurity measures for the spruce bark beetle is undertaken,” Gorman said.

The eight-tooth spruce bark beetle was steadily extending its range in Britain, he claimed, and was now within a few miles of areas in the west of Scotland that were formerly believed to be bark-beetle-free and from which Irish sawmills are importing logs.

“A spruce bark beetle taskforce needs to be established immediately to give full consideration to the various risk factors, to review the current monitoring, surveillance and inspection programmes both here and in Scotland and to introduce additional biosecurity measures or adapt legislation, if necessary,” Gorman maintained.

Coniferous roundwood

The IFA leader pointed out that Ireland imported 300,000m3 of coniferous roundwood from Scotland in 2021.

“It is crucial that we learn from the lessons of other European countries, as well as the lessons of the ash dieback debacle,” he told the committee.