Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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324. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding hill burning; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22726/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts currently 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 is included in the Heritage Bill 2016, which was published in January 2016.

The Bill recently completed its passage through Seanad Éireann and will now go to Dail Éireann. In the meantime, the existing provisions relating to Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts remain in force.

The question relating to restrictions on farming in areas where burning has occurred is primarily a matter for my colleague the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. That Department operates the Basic Payment Scheme and other schemes including GLAS.

My Department will continue to work closely with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and An Garda Síochána, as appropriate, to investigate the causes of wild fires and, where evidence is forthcoming, to pursue appropriate enforcement under the Wildlife Acts or other legislation.

The main source of wild gorse fires is thought to be the deliberate starting of fires without concern for the consequences. Aside from such malicious activities, one of the main challenges is to encourage members of the public, (including landowners, farmers and recreational users of publicly accessible land), to act responsibly at all times, to be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, to be mindful of the need to protect property, both publicly owned and privately owned and to appreciate the value of our natural heritage, particularly in our National Parks, Nature Reserves and Designated (Natura 2000) Sites.