Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I sincerely compliment Kerry County Council fire service on its competence and professionalism in dealing with major fires just prior to last weekend in the foothills of and on Mangerton mountain in Killarney. I also compliment the personnel from the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Irish Air Corps for the very many hours they gave to the matter. It had a Bambi Bucket that was capable of holding 1,000 litres of water with each trip from Killarney lakes. These fire outbreaks were very serious, and during the few days in which they raged, they seriously threatened people and neighbouring areas. They are a reminder to everybody that they should protect themselves and have regard for neighbours and other households in the vicinity. Lighting fires in the open is extremely dangerous, as we know, and they are a very serious threat to the environment and wildlife. Those fires are prohibited under wildlife legislation.

Anybody who wishes to burn gorse and scrub in the open should do so only within permitted timescales. They should also advise the fire services and, in cases like this, the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the intentions, including the time and location. If these fires had taken hold, they could have wiped out much of the 26,000 acres in our foremost national park. We can imagine what kind of a disaster that would have been. I again compliment the personnel from the fire services, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Irish Air Corps on their tremendous work.