Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein)
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402. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to set out the status of the two sets of regulations referred to in sections 8(1) and 8(2) of the Heritage Bill 2016 relating to burning and hedgerows; whether these regulations are complete given the Government has now re-initiated this Bill; if they are completed, to identify the persons who have been consulted; when they will be available for review to the Oireachtas and consultation with the public concerned; if they are not ready, when they will be ready, who will be consulted on them and when; the basis on which she considers the Oireachtas can advance this Bill in the absence of any sight of the regulations, given what they provide for; when the next stage of the Bill will be and when it will come before Seanad Éireann; her views on the concern of the wider public, as evidenced by a petition of some 18,000 persons opposed to the changes she is introducing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19285/16]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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403. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to set out the status of the two sets of regulations referred to in sections 8(1) and 8(2) of the Heritage Bill 2016 relating to burning and hedgerows; whether these regulations are complete given the Government has now re-initiated this Bill; if they are completed, to identify the persons who have been consulted; when they will be available for review to the Oireachtas and consultation with the public concerned; if they are not ready, when they will be ready, who will be consulted on them and when; when the next stage of the Bill will be and when it will come before Seanad Éireann; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19303/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 402 and 403 together.

Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts 1976, as amended, prohibits the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August.

Following a review of Section 40, which involved, inter alia, consideration of submissions from interested parties, I announced proposals in December 2015 to introduce legislation to allow for managed hedge cutting and burning at certain times within the existing closed period on a pilot two year basis. The legislation required to allow for these pilot measures was included in the Heritage Bill 2016, which was published in January 2016 and subsequently completed Second Stage in Seanad Éireann.

Steps are in hand to reintroduce the Heritage Bill into Seanad Éireann at the earliest opportunity. In the meantime, the existing provisions relating to Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts are still in operation.

The Regulations specified in Sections 8(1) and 8(2) of the Bill will be finalised following the enactment of the Heritage Bill by the Oireachtas and taking account of consultations with relevant stakeholders in due course.