Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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527. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps being taken by his Department to minimise the risk of severe damage by fire on abandoned uplands, mountains and commonages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8144/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I am very aware of the damage that uncontrolled fires can do to private land and the risk they pose to private property. There is also the risk to the health and safety of staff from the fire services and other volunteers when they attempt to bring the fires under control.

As a result of significant fire damage to forestry plantations some years ago, the Forest Service of my Department has overseen a number of initiatives in efforts to educate farmers and land owners of the legality and the risks of burning vegetation, while alerting forest owners and managers to the dangers.

A code of practice for safe, legal burning was developed and published by my Department. As well as the production of the Code, a number of training courses, seminars and demonstration events have taken place, in conjunction with local farming associations, Gardaí, Emergency Services and Local Authorities.

The Forest Service also issues Forest Fire Risk Warnings periodically during the main wildfire risk season from February through to July. These warnings provide forest owners and managers with advance warning of high risk weather conditions, alerting them to the need for extra vigilance and allowing them to take appropriate readiness and mitigation measures in advance of fire outbreaks.

In 2016, in advance of a high risk period, my Department sent a text message to all hill farmers who had registered for the Department's text messaging service, warning them of the danger of starting fires on their land.

The Helpsheet and Terms and Conditions booklet for the Basic Payment Scheme and other area-based schemes, which issues to approximately 130,000 farmers annually, contains a section detailing the requirements for and the dangers of burning vegetation.

The burning of vegetation is controlled by the Wildlife Acts. It is an offence under Section 40 of the Wildlife Act, 1976 (amended by Section 46 of the Wildlife Act, 2000) to burn, from 1st March to 31st August in any year, any vegetation growing on any land not then cultivated. Individuals who are found to burn vegetation within that prohibited period are liable to prosecution by An Garda Síochána or by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).

Applicants under the Basic Payment Scheme and other area-based schemes are obliged to comply with Cross Compliance which includes requirements in relation to the burning of vegetation. Where an applicant is found, at inspection or on receipt of a Cross Report from NPWS, to have breached theses requirements a penalty can be applied to payments due under these schemes.