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THE DEPARTMENT OF Agriculture has confirmed that the first case of the killer tree disease ash dieback has been found in a native Irish hedgerow tree in Leitrim.
In October last year, the first case of the fungus, Chalara fraxinea, was identified in an area that had been planted with imported ash plants in 2009. Since then 96 cases of the fungus were identified in a major survey by the Department. This included systematic ash surveys of plantations, nurseries, roadsides, landscape and farm landscape plantings and hedgerows.
Today the department said that another case of the disease was found in a hedgerow tree that is outside of the original plantation of imported plants in Co Leitrim.
Speaking today, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Tom Hayes said he was “fully aware of the significance of these findings” and has asked officials to put a comprehensive eradication plan into place immediately which will start from today.
There has been a massive effort to survey for this disease and remove the disease anywhere it has presented itself. We will continue this policy of eradication and will keep the policy under constant review as results come in from the surveys.
He added that the department has discussed the latest findings with counterparts in Northern Ireland as there is an all-Ireland strategy in place to deal with the disease.
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Interesting little read, thanks Journal.
It appears that many make a living out of bringing up debris from great depths.
I don’t agree with this .
A sheer commercial entity.
There are companies that salvage valuble cargos from cargo vessels such as valuble metals & make a good living from it. In my view its just recycling & does not invade the final resting place of some poor souls lost at sea. I think myself taking little personal items from a ship like the titanic is only about fueling our curiosities & as such is grave robbing. I dont mind observing the wreck of the titanic & understanding what happened. However removing valuable commercial cargos that can be used again & may even help clean up the seabed a little should continue & be encouraged
Grave robbing!!
Or marine archaeology !! How much has been made off of Egyptian artifacts etc
What good is it doing at the bottom of the sea? While the ship’s hull makes for a good reef for marine life, I doubt they need jewelery!
Also, I don’t consider it grave robbing because those “graves” were NOT put there on purpose. unlike the egyptian tombs.
Excellent article.
I’m gonna assemble a crew as soon as I’ve raised the 200,000.
i agree. auctions of titanic wreckage items is no different than what Egyptian archaeologists have done to sell items to museums from their digging expeditions. its a double standard if one agrees with Egyptian archaeologists “grave robbing” and not with titanic maritime recovery missions.
hmm easy way to make fast cash
Completely disagree. I would see it as marine archaeology.
I would want part of who I was to be remebered. I would hope that with every piece that comes up that we become closer to the lives that didn’t survive. Its not grave robbing at all. Its simpling remembering who we are as people. And trust me ladies with nice jewelry don’t want it rotting at the bottom of the ocean.
have your say