Laois beekeepers seeking site told to buzz off

A group of Laois bee enthusiasts hoping to use council land for beehives have been refused.

The South Laois Beekeepers Association are looking for a site to place more beehives.

They had proposed to place them on the site of a disused water treatment plant at Tullyroe in Abbeyleix which has sat idle for over a decade according to a local councillor.

However a motion asking permission has been refused by Laois County Council' water department. It instead invites the beekeepers to think of other public lands for their bees.

Clr John Joe Fennelly tabled a motion on their behalf to the February meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District.

He asked the council to enter discussions with South Laois Beekeepers Association about a site, and said that one proposal they made was the old treatment plant.

Cllr Fennelly said that the group is rapidly expanding, with an extra 30 members in the past few months.

"They are doing training schemes. We talk about biodiversity. They look after all types of bees including the Irish black bee. Honey will come out of this, they are going from strength to strength," he said. 

Water services engineer Adrian Barrett replied that the council is transferring that asset to the ownership of Irish Water, and any use of it by the beekeepers would be "premature" until the land is transferred.

"Should Cllr Fennelly or the beekeepers suggest alternative publicly owned locations, the council would welcome the opportunity to explore those options further."

Cllr Fennelly said he is disappointed.

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"This piece of land has been left unattended for 10 or 12 yers. It's properly fenced, it's ideal for something like this. Why do Irish Water have to take it over? We have our own new system down the road at Tullyroe. It should be in the council's discretion to allocate this to the beekeepers," he said.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley had seconded.

"A few people approached me too looking for this apiary. They feel this is the ideal location. I welcome that the door is not closed and they can look for alternatives," she said.