Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will not speak at length on section 8. The case has not been made for section 8. The amendment tabled by Fianna Fáil somewhat improves and ameliorates the damage in the section. I will still oppose the section even though it has been amended. The message was sent out on the idea that people would vote on a single issue. I believe people very much have been listening and I commend Fianna Fáil because although it did not agree with us on large parts of section 8, nonetheless it engaged with all stakeholders respectfully on it. It has not come to the point of being able to support our amendments, and I regret this, but respectful engagement with the full farming community and the full community of rural Ireland and the rest of the population of Ireland is very important and I commend it in this regard. This is why I supported the amendment although I oppose the section.

This is our last chance to speak on section 8 and I must highlight this point. The section on gorse fires has not been addressed. Anybody who read the newspapers this week would have seen stories about burning gorse in March. In my part of the country in Connemara, the electricity supply cable to the Aran Islands was damaged by uncontrolled gorse fires in Carraroe. In Donegal, the primary water source for Donegal in Lough Fad was endangered by gorse fires. In County Louth, fire crews battled overnight to prevent the spread of gorse fires to forestry land. The EPA has raised serious concerns about the damage done by gorse fires.

If there is anything on which we need to gather statistics it is certainly this, but we know that in Cork, where statistics have been gathered, from 2012 to 2015 the cost of responding to illegal gorse fires to the fire services was €750,000. This is huge public expenditure. We have heard much talk about pilot programmes. I am very concerned that the section allows burning, and I know the Minister says part or parts of, but there is real concern that we could see a further escalation of this burning in March. We could see the incidents which have happened and got out of hand here multiplied further because there will be a sense of greater permission for burning in March.I would also point out, to those who would speak to the wet February that we had, that we had one of the driest Octobers and Novembers in history. In Scotland, where they have sought to engage with this same issue, significant regulation around this has been brought in. Burning in Scotland is done in October and November. It is done in autumn. There is no reason we cannot have controlled burning taking place in October or November. It is the practice elsewhere. It is a more appropriate practice. There is no need to extend this into March.

We have already heard about the nesting seasons. On some further interests we have heard, the EPA and other groups have raised concern, in particular, that there is an issue with burning in February already, which many people believe should not happen. This is of concern because when there is burnt ground in February or March, it does not simply endanger nests and fledglings that may already be on the ground there, but it also damages the habitat. We have heard that many species will not nest on ground that has recently been burnt. A whole habitat, which is relied on for nesting, is destroyed. There is a real concern.

I am conscious that I should signal that we may table detailed amendments on section 8, because we did not specifically put amendments forward besides our general opposition. We would be remiss if we said that this was somehow okay or fine. There are massive issues in this area and it is something that needs to be looked at very seriously. As I said, I will certainly be seeking to tighten the regulations. I know the Minister has said that these are illegal fires in many cases but there is a concern that, if we open the season further, the danger, jeopardy and cost to the public will be increased.