Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 47: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to ensure that his Department plays a role in implementing the recommendations of the Working Group on Land and Forest Fires; and the measures that his Department will implement. [11527/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The provision of a fire service in its functional area and the assessment of fire cover needs having regard to the nature of the fire hazards and the probable incidence and extent of fires in its area is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the provisions of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department's main role in this area is to ensure that fire authorities are equipped and geared to respond effectively to manage the effects of land and forest fires. The Department supports fire authorities through setting of general policy, the provision of capital funding, training support and issue of guidance on operational and other related matters.

The Working Group on Land and Forest fires established by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food reported earlier in 2011 and made 10 recommendations in relation to gorse and forest fires.

My Department will arrange the collation of data on land and forest fires in association with the relevant fire service mobilisation contracting authorities. The majority of instances of uncontrolled burning occur within specific geographical locations, and it was recommended by the Working Group that maps of land based fire 'hot spots' should be compiled in order to help specifically target the advertising and educational campaigns at these areas.

In addition to this recommendation of the Working Group, my Department is seeking reports from the fire authorities who had significant wildland fires recently, with a view to identifying lessons and possibly issuing further guidance in this area to add to the current Standard Operational Guidelines for Fires in Rural Areas, which deals with wildland fire-fighting issues.