Ireland Spent €8.5M Battling Knotweed and Hogweed Since 2020

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Donegal County Council poured €533,000 into battling invasive plants, with €318,932 granted by Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Housing Department.

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Japanese, Himalayan and Giant knotweed forced Irish councils to spend €8.5 million between July 2020 and August 2024.

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Mayo County Council topped the spending chart at €1.28m, followed by Cork at €950k and Meath at €814k in controlling these destructive species

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Giant hogweed burns skin severely, while Japanese knotweed breaks through concrete, creating property nightmares across Ireland.

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Local authorities directed most funds toward spraying these plants with herbicides through council-appointed contractors.

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According to the latest Plant Atlas by BSBI, Ireland now hosts more non-native plant species than native ones, with 987 non-native versus 952 native species

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Over a decade ago, these botanical invaders cost Ireland's economy €261m annually, contributing to the global invasive species damage of $423bn.

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A new Invasive Species Unit launched last year with a €1.3 million Shared Ireland Biosecurity Initiative to combat the growing threat.

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Experts call current council spending of €1.7 million yearly "a drop in the ocean" compared to what's needed to address these aggressive plant species.

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