Thousands of rare plants, some of which are the only examples in Europe, are in imminent danger, it has been claimed, as an industrial dispute at the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin is stepped up. Also under threat are the gardens' thousands of bees, which have not yet been put to bed for the winter.
Some of the gardeners picketing outside the 203-year-old gardens this week said they have had little sleep over the past four weeks, such is their concern about their botanical charges inside the gates. They have been unable to check on them since the strike began.
Mr Brendan Sayers, who was trained in the gardens, said he was particularly worried about phlatys tele miniflora, an orchid which he collected himself in the jungles of Belize. "It is the only one of its kind living in Europe," he said.
"It is growing on a piece of treefern and needs to be watered daily, but if it gets too wet, the watering must be reduced to intervals. It could be dead within a week if it is not looked after properly."
He said he was the only gardener who knew how to care for the orchids correctly.
A four-week strike by the 16 gardening staff escalated at the end of last week after SIPTU, their union, made a preliminary application to the ICTU for an all-out picket. The dispute arose because of a proposed apprentice-training programme. Mr Brian Furlong normally looks after the fruits, vegetables and bees. He expressed concern that his bees were still up and about long past their winter bedtime. "The entrances to the hives have to be closed off, the upper chambers removed and extra insulation put in," he said.
"An insecticide strip was put into the hives, supposedly for just two weeks, before we went on strike. If it is not taken out in time, the bees will get excessive insecticide, which would not be good for their health.
"With the hives open, the bees are exposed to risk of attack by rodents, and if the frost gets worse thousands could be lost."
An all-out strike involving the gardens' other unions would see ancillary workers withdrawing their labour, effectively closing them altogether. The glass houses are already affected, being now open only on Sunday afternoons.
Mr Donal Synnnott, director of the gardens, insisted that the plants were under no threat and that he, the curator and the senior foreman were looking after them. "The bees are settling down and will look after themselves," he said. "If an all-out strike comes into force, the public will be denied access to the gardens. Of course I am concerned about the dispute, but I am always mindful that one of the functions of the gardens is educational."
He said he would always be ready to negotiate with the union, but described SIPTU proposals as "a nonsense".
An all-out strike, if agreed by Congress and relevant unions, would start in the next three weeks.
