A Longford councillor says the Department of Agriculture has missed out on opportunities to do more to protect our bee population.
Today is World Bee Day and the department is highlighting a free Bee health diagnostic service they provide, as well as supports to the National Beekeepers Federation, and information campaigns to make the general public aware of their importance.
Councillor Paraic Brady has begun keeping bees in the last few years and say it's a win-win situation for helping to protect our bee population and getting honey to use in his home.
He says there was some incentive in recent years for farmers to put sand in the corners of fields to promote bee health, but he feels a more targeted approach would be much better.
The Fine Gael councillor says if farmers were given incentive to have at least one working beehive on their land over a five year period it would result in immediate benefits all round.
