The threat of extinction of the native Irish honeybee

During a session in the Dáil, Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman highlighted the issue of hybridization in Irish bees and called for the passage of a bill to ban the import of non-native honey bee queens. Previously, this document passed through the Senate, but it now requires consideration in the Dáil.

According to the latest official data, the number of imported honey bee consignments into the Republic decreased from 1,285 in 2021 to 388 in 2023, and currently stands at approximately 330 imported consignments. At the same time, thousands of bees enter Northern Ireland, creating a vulnerability at the border. As Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheál Martin noted, if the situation does not change over the next 50 years, there is a risk of the complete extinction of the native Irish bee.

According to the Green Party leader's estimates, about 3% of bee species in the region have already gone extinct, and 30% are under threat. Recent studies show that the proportion of non-native honey bees in the country has reached 25%. Last year, the Central Statistics Office reported that between 2006 and 2019, about 2.7% of species disappeared within the state and are recognized as regionally extinct, with another 14.7% at risk of extinction, and bees among the most vulnerable members of the fauna.

The Department of Agriculture commissioned a study to support the aforementioned bill, but the finished report has been sitting on the ministerial desk since September 2025 and has still not been published. The Prime Minister stated that he has reviewed the document and is ready to cooperate with the Green Party to protect the native population.

The import of bees into Ireland is permitted by European Union regulations, and a legislative ban could be viewed as a trade restriction. Nevertheless, according to Micheál Martin, consumer awareness should be raised regarding the benefits of local bee products, which surpass imported counterparts in terms of quality for health and well-being.

Roderic O'Gorman emphasized that this issue concerns not only nature conservation, but also the country's food security. The hybridization process poses a threat to a genetic resource that has evolved specifically for the Irish climate, which entails risks for food production and plant diversity.