Cathal Byrne (Fine Gael)

The Minister is most welcome to the Chamber. This is an issue that has been raised with me by local councillors in my home county of Wexford, near Mount Leinster, but also those in Waterford, affecting the Comeragh Mountains. The key issue is that there is a feeling in farming communities that the restrictions in place to control and restrict the controlled burning of scrubland on our mountain ranges, particularly in areas grazed by sheep, are too onerous and that there is not clear communication from the National Parks and Wildlife Service about when the burning can take place and what exactly can be incorporated. In my own of Kiltealy, there were quite severe fires about two years ago. Thankfully, no property was damaged and nobody was injured but the key takeaway from that was that the fires that spontaneously broke out would not have happened to the same extent had there been more controlled burning in place by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. This is an opportunity to bring clarity to the situation and confirm what exactly the position is as regards controlled burning. Is it possible for local farmers, particularly in mountain commonage areas, to engage in it?