GROWTH OF invasive species is occurring at “huge levels” in East Clare while funding for its removal and treatment is “very limited”.
A revised action plan for the removal of invasive species in the Killaloe Municipal District has been requested by Cllr Pat Hayes (FF). “Great work has been done in the past but now requires further attention. Working with landowners and other agencies are critical to the success of this programme,” he said.
Senior executive engineer in the Killaloe MD, Declan Flanagan said they have been actively working on the treatment of invasive species on the roadsides of East Clare, particularly Japanese Knotweed “over the last several years”. A contractor has been hired to treat Japanese Knotweed at 120 different locations in the Killaloe MD.
He flagged that their efforts have been hindered by a shortage of funding. “It’s important to note that funding has been very limited, we have recently procured a contractor to commence works in the next few working days to treat Japanese Knotweed at over 120 locations across the Municipal District. Treatment is through a mix of stem injection and spraying to all sites identified. Works on site is recorded through GIS Mapping mapped and signage erected. Further locations can be added as works progress if found in a nearby vicinity It’s important to provide landowners with information and the due care and responsible for invasive species on their own lands and encourage landowners to highlight issues that may be present along the public road network”.
Members of the public that locate new invasive species can report them to the County Council on the website invasives.ie
Speaking at a sitting of the Killaloe MD, Cllr Hayes said the work of the Waters of LIFE in the Graney catchment has increased awareness. He noted Japanese Knotweed is prevalent on the backroads and byroads of the area, “we deal with it to a degree, if you don’t continue to deal with it then it comes back, it is something which needs to be brought to a national position”.
An increasing amount of requests have been observed by the Maghera native by constituents seeking for the treatment of invasive species to be included in the Council’s roads programme. “It has grown at a huge level, there are now other species and there is a major amount of work to be done across the Municipal District and county”.
Seconding the request, Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF) outlined that a constituent was only contacted by the environment section of the Council twelve months after reporting the presence of Japanese Knotweed. “To get a call twelve months after it was reported is too much of a gap,” he commented. “There is knotweed in an area in Kilkishen on private lands, the environment office can’t go onto private lands but it is leading onto an estate so as sure as night follows day it will lead onto that, a sign was put up saying ‘do not touch’ but it doesn’t cure it”.
Kilmurry based O’Callaghan remarked, “When I heard knotweed first in the Council I had to google it, I thought of PJ Kelly and that it was something you would smoke”. He referred to one instance where a septic tank was “burst up” by the presence of knotweed.
Roads leading to Broadford are impacted by invasive species, Cllr Conor Ryan (FG) flagged while Cathaoirleach of the Killaloe MD, Cllr Pat Burke (FG) recalled former senior engineer Hugh McGrath once appeared on the Six:One news discussing Japanese Knotweed.
“It is an issue,” Cllr Hayes told the meeting. “There are fifty to sixty sites around the Lough Graney catchment on the public road alone that is impacted. I have enough of it on my lane,” he added to which Cllr O’Callaghan quipped “with all the hen harriers”.
Cllr Hayes replied, At least we’re getting paid for the hen harriers. It is a crisis situation really”. He said it was ten years since he met a consultant from France on the issue, “the cost of hiring someone in to do this is substantial, maybe we need to go political and get a grant to support farmers”.
