CONCERN HAS been expressed about the proliferation of ragwort, a highly noxious weed, in Co Kerry. Two years ago the National Roads Authority suspended a grant of more than €150,000 to the council to deal with the weed.
Funding for road maintenance has also been cut, and the weed has since proliferated along roadsides, it is claimed.
The yellow-flowered plant, with stems turning to purple in autumn and winter, is highly poisonous to animals; its toxins attack their livers. Young ponies and horses are especially vulnerable, the Irish Horse Welfare Trust said.
Michael Gleeson, an Independent councillor in the Killarney area who said he knew of a horse that had died of the weed, has asked the council to include a special provision for a comprehensive programme of eradication.
The NRA grant to help tackle the problem was suspended in 2009, according to a council report to Mr Gleeson. In addition, maintenance budgets for Kerry’s 4,717km of roads had been reduced by the roads authority.
The council area roads staff carry out a limited programme of spraying where necessary and its engineers plan to take special note of the need to tackle ragwort.
However, the council has also said landowners bear responsibility. Under the 1936 Noxious Weeds Act, it is an offence not to prevent the spread of certain weeds, including ragwort, and the owner, occupier, user or manager of lands on which ragwort is growing is liable to be fined if a notice for destruction is ignored.
According to Teagasc, pulling by hand where possible is recommended; otherwise it should be ploughed into the ground. The plant is still poisonous when dried out, it warns.