Neale Richmond (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, to the House and extend my gratitude to the Leas-Chathaoirleach for taking this Commencement matter. Last Friday evening a large gorse fire broke out on a hillside in Carrickmines, very close to the M50 motorway in south County Dublin. The fire raged for an extended period before it was brought under control by a number of fire engines from the Dublin fire brigade. Gorse fires in the Dublin mountains are a fairly common sight. This is the second fire in recent weeks. However, they are usually far more common in the summer months, with warmer, drier temperatures.

The recent fires in this part of south County Dublin have understandably caused serious concern among local residents. The damage done to the hillside by these fires is obvious but the secondary disturbances are even more telling. At rush hour last Friday evening, traffic was seriously impacted on the M50 and other surrounding roads due to the distracting nature of the fire and the measures being taken to extinguish it, but also by the impact on driver visibility due to the plumes of smoke emitting from the fire. Needless to say, a number of local residents contacted me, severely perturbed by the sight of yet another fire so close to their homes. The threat of the fire spreading was quite real for some, while the damaging impact of the smoke was also quite apparent.

As the evenings get longer and, hopefully, the wintery weather breaks, it is apparent that the outbreak of gorse fires across the country, but particularly in the Dublin mountains area, is of major concern to many people. I have tabled this Commencement matter in the hope that the Minister can acknowledge the very real concerns of so many people and provide a genuine plan in regard to how her Department and the wider group of responsible agencies are working to prevent and tackle gorse fires.