Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am sharing time on this with Senator Kyne, who comes from the same type of area as I do, as does the Cathaoirleach. There was a huge fire in Killarney during the summer. Fires pose great problems for many people and many farmers. A fire on commonage, in forestry or on any land can be started by fishers, campers, hillwalkers or various people who can be lackadaisical in throwing away cigarette butts or starting a campfire for a picnic and failing to put it out properly, with the result that commonage, land or forestry in many cases can be burned. This leads to the destruction of habitats. The penalties are in place because of the destruction of habitats. This is most unfair. A fire can be started on one farm and spread to the next farm. All farmers are penalised. Commonage holders are also penalised. The result is that their farm payments are reduced. The penalty is that no payment is made on the burnt land. There is also a penalty on the payment for the farmer's remaining land. Many farmers have appealed these decisions and where evidence was provided that the farmer did not start the fire the Department removed the penalty on the remaining lands but still issued no payment on the burnt land. This is very unfair if a person is not responsible.

Farmers must always appeal in these circumstances. They should not have to do this. Only the person found to have been responsible for starting the fire should be penalised. There should not be any penalty imposed on any other farmer, landowner or recipient of farm payments. This is a big issue. The National Parks and Wildlife Service has a huge part to play in this. I expect a very positive reply from the Minister of State. If not, I ask him to bring it back to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. This is creating great hardship for many farmers. In some cases there is a lot of money involved. Every year brings its own story.