Bloom Day 2: Is this tree-killing beetle Ireland’s next external threat?

Ireland faces many well-documented external threats at the moment but fortunately the Asian long-horned beetle is not one of them.

The beetle can survive in wooden packaging and has been transported around the world from its natural habitat in China to wreck havoc in many countries.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue were shown a model as big as your hand of the insect which is known to devastate all kinds of trees when it is introduced into a habitat.

The real thing is only as big as your thumb, but you still would not want to find it in your bed clothes.

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On their visit to Bloom, the pair visited a stand hosted by the Department of Agriculture which was intended to inform the public about the creepy-crawlies that can turn up in your luggage from abroad and who should be informed about it.

Other charmers to be on the look out for are the Tobacco whitefly, the Colorado potato beetle and the Epitrix potato beetle.

Mr McConalogue was given a ticking off by the Birdwatch Ireland’s Oonagh Duggan for the Government’s lack of investment in saving some breeding wading bird species most notably the curlew.

The €13 million for habitat conservation was not enough, she told him and reminded the Taoiseach that when he was in opposition that they needed €30 million over five years. The money was in the Common Agricultural Policy. “It’s doable,” the Taoiseach responded, a sentiment he conveyed directly to his minister standing beside him much to the mirth of those around them.

There were record crowds on Thursday of 18,000 and Bord Bia, Bloom’s organisers, is hopeful of attracting at least 100,000 visitors over the bank holiday weekend which is promised fair weather until Monday.

Mr McConalogue said he completely agreed with President Michael D Higgins’ remarks made at Bloom that consumers should walk away from food that is being sold below the cost of production.

“It is important across the food chain and indeed for consumers to ensure that the primary role of producers is respected,” he said.

“To have a sustainable level of food production is to ensure that those who produce the food get a fair income for the hard work they put in.”

He said retailers should not be selling food below cost and it is not good practice. He anticipated that new legislation will set up an office for fairness and transparency in the food chain which will stop below cost selling as there was a “lack of respect in too many cases” on the part of retailers towards food producers.

The legislation will have penalties of fines and convictions for unfair trading practices.

“There is also a really strong role there for building a relationship that is healthy and respectful and that will be a clear role for the Office of Fairness and Transparency,” he said.