O’Neill has plans to help save us from extinction

It was Albert Einstein who predicted that if honey bees disappeared humans would be finished within four years.

But Mrs O’Neill said she has plans in place to ensure their survival.

Mrs O’Neill stated: “The Strategy for the Sustainability of the honey bee, which was published in February 2011, provides a plan of action aimed at sustaining the health of honey bees and beekeeping in the north of Ireland for the next decade.

“Beekeepers and Departmental officials are currently working in partnership to deliver the aims and outcomes of the Strategy. Delivery is being phased and outcomes and priorities reviewed at regular intervals by the Strategy’s Implementation Group.”

She said that despite proposals by the European Commission to ban the use of certain pesticides blamed by some for ‘colony collapse disorder,’ which is killing honey bees around the world, it remains a complex issue.

“It is very clear that bees and pollinators face many problems unrelated to neonicotinoid pesticides.

“I have not planned any meetings with beekeepers in light of the EU Commission proposals to suspend the use of certain types of neonicotinoid pesticides,” she stated.