615. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update on measures to protect the native Irish honeybee. [53182/26]

My Department is very supportive of beekeepers and beekeeping associations in their efforts in the conservation of the native Irish honey bee. The Annual Grants to Irish National Beekeepers Federations, which is Exchequer funded, provides funding to the four Irish National Beekeepers Federations. In 2025, the four national beekeeping federations received a total of €25,500 through this measure for initiatives including the conservation of the native Irish honey bee.

My Department  also supports Irish beekeeping under the Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Horticulture sector through the provision of grant aid for capital investments by individual beekeepers in specialised beekeeping related equipment and structures, including specialised bee breeding equipment.

In supporting research initiatives, €121,000 was paid out under the National Apiculture Programme in 2025 to support beekeeping through an approved applied research project being conducted by UCD- called PROBEE.

My Department also provides funding under the Conservation of Plant and Animal Genetic Resources Scheme. The Native Irish Honey Bee Society received funding in 2021 and 2024 under this scheme for projects related to the conservation of the native Irish honey bee and their application under the 2026 Scheme has also been approved.