Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)

This is a good day for the Senator to raise the issue. It is easy to forget what happened five weeks ago. We are heading into a long weekend with warm weather forecast and we have issued a statement asking people to be vigilant. I learned a lot during my visit to County Donegal, in particular from those who were in the thick of it. I went to see the damage that had been caused. However, it was only when I travelled on the road from Ardara to Dungloe that I realised there could have been loss of life. It was because of the work done by young people, the elderly and everybody else who got together when fire units were stretched that houses were saved. I spoke to one man who thought his house was gone and the one thing he wanted to save was an accordion, which was nice to hear. I saw houses where everything up to the drainage system on the roof and the septic tank had been burned. A huge amount of damage was caused.

A group of people with ideas came together. Those who have forestries in the area or lands that can catch fire must form a unit and put a system in place to tackle the problem. I asked people in County Donegal, through the county council and the IFA, to put together a plan which we could be issued to county councils throughout the country.

At the beginning farmers were blamed. Then it was claimed rogues had started the fires. On one tour I saw an oil tanker which had exploded, crossed the forest, causing a fire to start. There was a mixture of three factors involved. It is welcome that the Senator has raised the issue, as what happened could happen again this weekend. We do not intend to let down those involved in forestry, about which I have become passionate, even though I am a dairy farmer by nature. It is a fantastic industry. If it is to grow, as the Senator rightly said, we have to have plans in place to deal with such problems.

In regard to the payment of compensation, I urge everybody affected to check their insurance policies first. I ask people in County Donegal to revert, through the IFA, with accounts of exactly what happened. Money is tight and I would be foolish to say any is available. While one should never close the door, much as I would love to be in a position to say it is, there is nothing available. However, one never knows what might happen.

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. Having spent my holidays in County Donegal last year, I was appalled at the wildfires which took place at the beginning of May throughout the country, especially in County Donegal. I visited the county on 7 May to witness the extensive damage caused to forestry and property near Glenties, Ardara and Dungloe and meet the families and communities placed most at risk. The aftermath of the fires showed that a small minority of people have a total disregard for the law and an equal, even more worrying disregard for human life. Only the efforts of the emergency services - the Army, Air Corps and Garda - and local volunteers stood between controlling the fires and an even greater disaster. As we approach the bank holiday weekend, respect for the law on land burning must remain paramount. Vigilance by rural dwellers must also apply to assist in identifying the lawbreakers and ensure they are brought to justice.

On compensation for the damage caused to grazing lands and agricultural fencing, my Department does not intend to compensate farmers for the damage caused during this spate of wildfires. Damage to property is a matter for individual farmers and I encourage landowners who have not already done so to insure themselves against such risks.

The majority of land fires occur between 1 March and 31 August each year when a legal ban on the burning of growing vegetation on uncultivated land applies under the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000. While many fires are started maliciously, the number started through carelessness and disregard for the law by landowners to clear gorse and scrub is equally worrying. The small minority who are responsible and disregard the law and people's lives and property must be identified and made to face prosecution, fines and imprisonment. Again I urge all rural dwellers to remain vigilant and take responsibility by reporting any suspicious activity to the Garda.

At times of high fire risk - dry and windy conditions - forest owners especially need to take responsibility by organising checks on their plantations. They should also ensure their insurance cover is adequate, fire breaks are in good condition and fire plans are in place.

Arising from the large increase in the number of forest fires which occurred during 2010, a working group was established in my Department in June 2010. The group, which consisted of representatives from the forest industry, the fire service, the Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces, Coillte, Teagasc and the National Parks and Wildlife Service, was charged with making recommendations for ministerial approval with a view to tackling the problem of illegal and uncontrolled burning. The question of compensation arising from fire damage was not raised as an issue throughout the deliberations of the working group.

Following a full analysis of the issues involved, ten recommendations were made, the first of which was to change the mindset regarding the use of fire in traditional agricultural practices. The group recognised that under certain circumstances and based mainly on tradition, the burning of land to clear scrub and other unwanted vegetation has become an accepted farm management practice. As numerous cases during 2010 illustrated, however, there is a lack of knowledge and expertise regarding controlled burning among some farmers and landowners as well as ignorance of the legality of some of their actions. As a result, the working group made a recommendation for a publicity and educational campaign to address these fundamental weaknesses with a view to changing the mindset of those who light such fires. Similar campaigns in France and the United States have proved to be both informative and effective. My Department has engaged in such an information campaign outlining the hazards of setting illegal fires and the potential penalties under the single payment scheme. In addition to press articles, advertisements have been placed in the farming press. Three press releases have also been issued which have concentrated on the risks of forest fires, the aftermath of the May bank holiday wildfires and a current appeal to rural dwellers to remain vigilant over the June bank holiday weekend.

The other recommendations dealt with advising landowners on fire prevention, forest management and early detection. It was also recommended that landowners be advised of their obligation to notify their intention to burn to fire services and the Garda Síochána. Landowners should notify their local fire service control centre in advance of any controlled burn. This will ensure the fire services are not called out to attend a controlled burn which does not pose any threat to forests, human health or property. Under section 39(1) of the Wildlife Act 1976, prior notice of an intention to instigate a controlled burn must be given to the sergeant in charge of the Garda station in the Garda district concerned.

The importance of prosecution of offenders, the need for producer group involvement and the development of a code for controlled burning were also highlighted by the group. The development of an interagency statement setting out the areas of responsibility of Government agencies, the emergency services and private sector was also recommended. While I have responsibility for forestry and I am very concerned about this aspect of wildfires, the central role of the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government in emergency planning and fire also needs to be acknowledged. The fire services in the various local authorities performed outstanding work in dealing with the recent outbreak of fires.

It was also agreed by the working group that a map of land-based fire hot spots should be compiled to help target the educational campaigns specifically at these areas. The majority of instances of uncontrolled burning occur within specific geographical locations, for example, upland commonages. Targeted campaigns could be focused on these areas for maximum effect. The fire services and emergency planning section of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government has been requested to compile this data, as it is the administrative unit which is best placed to offer an overall view of the land and forest fires profile for the country.

We all recognise that prevention is better than cure. It is, therefore, very important that we continue to place emphasis on co-operation between the agencies involved and landowners and rural dwellers to tackle the scourge of wildfires in a practical manner.