AQW 20451/17-22

Ms Sinéad McLaughlin
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Foyle

Tabled Date: 15/06/2021
Answered On Date: 29/06/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (i) what plans his Department has to eradicate Japanese Knotweed from Northern Ireland; (ii) what assistance his Department provides to households whose properties, or neighbouring properties, suffer from the presence of Japanese Knotweed; and (iii) what legal responsibilities fall to local councils to assist property owners whose land, or neighbouring land, contains Japanese Knotweed.

Answer:

(i)There are currently no plans to eradicate Japanese knotweed from Northern Ireland. It is not an offence to have Japanese knotweed growing in the garden. To successfully deliver an eradication programme would require, potentially, a significant level of enforcement intervention for which there is currently no legal basis. Eradicating Japanese knotweed could therefore be seen as being both a poor use of public funds and an unachievable goal with the plant being well-established.

The Department’s policy context towards this species is one to assist to protect the ecology of an area as opposed to safeguarding privately owned property or other commercial assets. For this reason, not-for-profit organisations, including councils, can apply for funding such as the Environment or Challenge Funds to address Japanese knotweed in areas where important biodiversity features may be under threat. Farmers are able to apply for assistance for managing Japanese knotweed via the Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS).

(ii)The Department considers the spread of Japanese knotweed from one private property to another to constitute a civil matter between the two respective landowners, and must be resolved as any other issue of joint property maintenance would be. Department officials, on a daily basis, provide advice and guidance to homeowners on how best to treat Japanese knotweed and to consult organisations such as the Property Care Association who are better placed to advise on urban scenarios. Officials also manage the Invasive Species Ireland website where the most up to date guidance, legislation and assistance is provided for all members of the public.

(iii)As already outlined, there is no statutory mechanism (by any statutory body) to compel an owner or an occupier of premises or land to control Japanese knotweed or to permit others to carry out control measures without an owner or occupier’s consent.