Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for the question. First and foremost, I wish to correct the contention that I extended the recent burning season. In fact, my decision was that no extension of the season was warranted in 2019. The assumption that recent wildfires such as the one in Killarney National Park were connected to my decision not to extend the burning season is both disingenuous and misleading. The burning at the weekend was completely illegal. As the Deputy is aware, significant environmental damage is caused by illegal burning. Following a review of section 40 of the Wildlife Act which included consideration of submissions made by interested parties, proposals were announced in December 2015 to introduce legislation to allow for managed hedge cutting and burning at certain times within the existing closed period on a pilot two-year basis. The relevant legislation was included in the Heritage Bill 2016 which was enacted in July last year. Section 7(1) of the Heritage Act 2018 provides that I may make regulations to allow the burning of vegetation during such periods in the month of March and in such parts of the country as specified in the regulations. I recently made a decision not to make regulations to extend the season for the burning of vegetation into March. This decision was taken as there would have been no basis for me to do so, given the fact that the relatively dry weather during the six-month period when the burning of vegetation could have been undertaken under the law, from September to February inclusive, would not have precluded landowners from burning vegetation. Therefore, the existing provisions in the Wildlife Acts on burning remain in force.

The recent burning in Killarney National Park was illegal and caused significant damage to the park. The fire underlines the fact that ground conditions are extremely dry and that an extension to allow burning in March would not only have been unwarranted but would have also been irresponsible at this time. I also take the opportunity to record my thanks to the Kerry fire service, the staff of the National Parks and Wildlife Service in Killarney and all of the volunteers who came to their assistance on the Friday evening and Saturday morning of 29 and 30 of March.

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