978. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Government is supportive of the Native Irish Honeybee Bill 2021. [64591/26]

979. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the independent scientific evidence from the National University of Ireland, Galway, regarding the Irish Honeybee and the Native Irish Honeybee Bill, 2021 will be published. [64592/26]

980. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether the Office of the Attorney General has undertaken scrutiny of the Native Irish Honeybee Bill 2021, in particular, for its compatibility with EU law. [64593/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 978, 979 and 980 together.

The Protection of the Native Irish Honey Bee Bill 2021, a Private Members Bill, which seeks to ban the importation of non-native honey bees is currently before Dáil Éireann, Second Stage. Progression of the Bill through Dáil Éireann is therefore subject to the procedures of the Oireachtas.

Following legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General in relation to the Protection of the Native Irish Honey Bee Bill 2021, my Department procured independent scientific evidence and in October 2023, a contract was signed with the National University of Ireland, Galway for the provision of research services on the native Irish honey bee (Apis mellifera mellifera).

The research work concluded, and the research report was subsequently evaluated by an external expert. Following the completion of the evaluation, the research service provider was afforded the opportunity to respond to the evaluator’s comments and these comments were received in September 2025. My Department is currently finalising the overall response to the report.

My Department is very supportive of beekeepers and beekeeping associations and the work that they do 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 to help their associated members to pursue the craft of beekeeping to the highest standards and to also inform the public about the environmental role that bees play in maintaining Irish biodiversity and crop production. In 2025, the four national beekeeping federations received a total of €25,500 through this measure for various initiatives.

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 and honey extraction 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.