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

As I said, it is misleading and disingenuous to try to connect the two issues. The incident in Killarney was a wild fire and illegal. It is a completely separate matter from the controlled burning of vegetation, as provided for under the Heritage Act. The Deputy knows this and her linking of the two issues is ridiculous. Managed burning has been proved to be good for the environment. I will leave that issue for now and focus on an important message for the public on wild fires. I encourage all members of the public, including landowners and recreational users, to act responsibly at all times. They should be mindful of their own safety and that of others, the need to protect both public and private property and the value of our national heritage, particularly in national parks, nature reserves and designated sites. As even planned or controlled burning can get out of hand very quickly, it is critically important that everyone realise the damage that can be caused to property and the threat posed to the health and welfare of family, neighbours and the wider community, as well as emergency services in responding to fires. In the event that such fires occur, I urge anyone with any information, no matter how trivial it may seem, to pass it on to An Garda Síochána or the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

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