Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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63. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on the loss of nests and food stores of birds and other wildlife caused by the recent gorse and heather fires that were started illegally in some mountain areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27567/17]

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Before I ask the question which relates to forest fires, I express the sympathy of my party and I am sure of everybody in the Dáil to the people of Portugal who have suffered a severe loss in forest fires in the last couple of days. My question relates to the loss of wildlife and the nests and food stores of birds and other wildlife in the recent gorse and heather fires started illegally in some mountain areas. I ask the Minister of State to make a statement on the matter.

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. Significant environmental damage is caused by wildfires. The issue has become more acute in recent years, as evidenced by the spate of fires in various parts of the country, including a Coillte-owned site of some 4,000 ha in County Galway in recent weeks. Wildfires are not a natural phenomenon in Ireland and can have a local impact on species that cannot escape or that lose breeding habitat as a result. Such impacts are generally short-term but could be very serious for species already in decline such as the curlew. Some plant and moss species may be temporarily lost or greatly reduced.

I take the opportunity to strongly condemn the recent spate of wildfires and appeal to members of the public to be conscious of the dangers posed by fire on open ground. The primary responsibility for firefighting lies with the fire service and the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. The prosecution of those responsible is a matter for the Garda. My Department is one of a number of agencies represented on the interagency gorse fire group that explores issues surrounding such fires. An Garda Síochána is also represented on the group and leads any criminal investigation. My Department co-operates fully with Garda and other investigations that may be initiated by other statutory bodies.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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What I really want to get at is that the burning of vegetation is forbidden in certain months but takes place regardless of the restraints. What we need to know is the extent of the damage and the scale of the impact of recent fires on wildlife because only then can we gauge the damage the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys' Heritage Bill might do. In case people do not know, the Bill proposes to allow burning in the months of March and September. It is illegal from April to August. Extending it to March and September would have a huge impact on wildlife. I want to read something about the extinction of wildlife. Birdwatch Ireland states species at risk in upland habitats were burning to occur in March, April and May would include the hen harrier, the merlin, the golden plover, the dunlin and the breeding curlew which, as we know, is already on the brink of extinction. We need a commitment from the Minister of State's Department that it will assess the damage to wildlife in order to assess the damage the proposed new Heritage Bill might do.

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I have worked with the officials in the Department and I am glad to be back working with them again. I know just how focused they are on the issue. The Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has responsibility for monitoring controlled, not illegal, burning. The Deputy mentioned a couple of incidents. In my county, on the Inishowen Peninsula, the people who responded first were the members of the fire service, but there was also a phenomenal response and intervention not just by members of the community but also by specific sectors. Some members of the farming community used their slurry tankers to put out the fires by putting water into them. There is a groundswell of support for the Deputy's proposition that people support the protection of wildlife, fauna and flora. There is certainly no shortage of dedication within my Department. There are other issues to do with common sense and taking specific responsibility, but I will certainly convey the Deputy's message to the Department.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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Gabhaim mo chomhghairdeas leis an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Joe McHugh, mar gheall ar an bpost nua atá aige. Tá súil agam go n-éirí go geal leis ina phost. Ní raibh gearán ar bith agamsa mar gheall ar an gcumas Gaeilge a bhí ag an Aire Stáit ag an am. Ba é an gearán a bhí agam, agus a bhí ag go leor san earnáil Gaeilge ag an am, ná gur ainmnigh an Rialtas duine gan Ghaeilge le haghaidh na Gaeltachta. Is am cinniúnach é mar gheall ar an nGaeilge agus tá súil agam go dtreiseoidh an Aire Stáit an Ghaeilge agus an Ghaeltacht as seo amach. Gabhaim mo chomhbhrón freising le muintir na Portaingéile a fuair bás sa tine sin.

It is very important to realise when we talk about this issue that under the current legislation, only one application was made last year for a licence to engage in controlled burning. That means that Government practice, as it stands, is irrelevant and failing farmers and the environment miserably.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I express my condolences to the people of Portugal on the dreadful loss of life, habitat and forests in the big fires. I think everybody has been extremely upset by the fires in Ireland. I hope what has happened constitutes an opportunity for the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys, to think twice about extending the dates within which burning is allowed. What has happened this year has been an environmental and ecological disaster which will affect the promotion of tourism and the amenity use of forests, as well as their viability. We present this as a green Ireland to ourselves and the world at large in the promotion of both tourism and the food sector.

The sight of uncontrolled burning, with damage being done to wildlife and habitats, is an enormous tragedy for the country. I hope the Minister will let go of the current plans she has to extend the burning seasons.

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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Ar dtús, mar fhreagra ar an Teachta Peadar Tóibín, chuala mé a theachtaireacht. Gabhaim buíochas leis as an fáilte. Táim ar a thaobh féin maidir le na rudaí tábhachtacha sa cheangal idir an oidhreacht agus an pobal, mar shampla, seirbhísí éigeandála. Bhí mé ag caint faoi na rudaí a bhí ag dul ar aghaidh i mo chontae féin i gContae Dhún na nGall. Tá sé thar a bheith tábhachtach go mbeadh na rudaí nádúrtha ar an talamh fite fuaite sa chomhoibriú chun na rudaí a choimeád, chomh maith leis an bpobal agus na daoine áitiúla atá ina gcónaí ann a choimeád sábháilte. Tá mé ar aon taobh le na Teachtaí maidir le sin.

Deputy Joan Burton raised issues around technical aspects about timing. I certainly will convey them to the Minister.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Does Deputy Bríd Smith have a final supplementary?

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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These fires, whether started illegally or naturally, cause considerable damage to wildlife, in particular, at the time of year to which the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys's Bill proposes to extend the provision, when birds and other forms of wildlife are beginning to make their homes, nest and mate, and then to breed their young throughout that season. With the cutting of the hedging, it is lethal to the protection of wildlife.

The Bill has been dubbed the anti-wildlife Bill and that describes it well. It makes no sense at all for us to increase the length of time allowed for burning, in particular when the Minister of State says only a small number of applications were made to allow the burning. That implies that most of the burning is illegal.

A Bill or measures that enforces what already exists should be brought in rather than extending the potential for further burning and possible destruction to wildlife. Ultimately, there is a significant cost to the Exchequer of this burning, but there is a bigger cost to nature and to the quality of all our lives by losing these habitats.

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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At the risk of repeating myself which I do not want to do, I re-emphasise the separation in terms of the Department's responsibility around controlled burning. There are issues outside of the Department's control. We will continue to work in close collaboration with the Garda, the emergency services and the local authorities.

When we talk about habitat, nature and all things relating to wildlife, none of the people I meet on a daily basis in my constituency is against this debate but we must also have a debate around the co-existence of communities and habitat. It is a co-existence. In terms of sustainability, we have to work closely with communities because many of the communities have the answers. I am grateful for the officials in the Department who work on a regional basis also and who feed those community concerns back.