On the day that Canning Hurleys in Portumna, Co Galway closes down, the Dáil has heard that 80% of ash planks used for hurley making over the last 10 years have been imported.
Minister of State Pippa Hackett said this was due to ash dieback disease that has affected ash trees in Ireland since its arrival in 2012.
Planks are imported from the UK, Croatia, Slovakia, Denmark and Sweden. They are also imported from Ukraine by a number of hurley makers, but that supply has been disrupted due to the war, Ms Hackett said.
She said there remains a large reservoir of ash suitable for hurley making on the continent, but pointed out that ash dieback disease is found wherever ash trees grow across Europe.
All European Union states have now stopped planing ash trees, except for research reasons, and both the Department of Agriculture and Teagasc are working to identify resistant ash plants for future breeding programmes.
Minister Hackett added that some hurley makers are using different timbers for hurley making, such as bamboo. She was answering questions from Labour TD Seán Sherlock.
Canning Hurleys cited supply chain difficulties accessing wood for hurleys compounded by ash dieback disease as reasons for closing down.
