In written responses to the Upper Bann MP, the DAERA Minister admitted there is no one solely responsible for bee inspections within the Department. Ms Lockhart has labelled the move “complacent, careless and completely inadequate.”
 
Commenting she said: ”This is a dereliction of duty and demonstrates a lack of understanding of the importance of a healthy bee population. The beekeeping community has been raising alarm bells for months, and I’ve personally challenged the DAERA Minister on this issue several times.

“His correspondence confirms that there are currently no dedicated bee inspectors in post for any inspections. If they happen at all, the remit falls under a small number of general agriculture inspectors. And now, even contact with the Department has been reduced to a generic email address. That is not a strategy.”
 
Ms Lockhart continued: “The bee inspection service has collapsed, and there’s no clear plan or timeline to fix it. In the face of serious threats to bee health like foulbrood, this isn’t just careless it’s dangerous.
 
“Bees are amazing creatures. They are essential pollinators, vital to our food supply and ecosystems. Without them, biodiversity suffers, crop yields fall, and the wider agricultural sector is put at risk. To see such a vital part of our natural and farming environment treated as an afterthought is frankly disgraceful.
 
The MP concluded: “Beekeepers deserve better! Our farming sector deserves better! And our environment demands better! I will continue pressing the DAERA Minister until we see meaningful action, proper accountability, and a full restoration of vital inspection services.”