Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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395. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps being taken to create a fire barrier to prevent a forest fire in Killarney National Park, County Kerry. [24092/17]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The primary responsibility in terms of fire fighting lies with the Fire Service and the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government.  The prosecution of those responsible is a matter for the Gardaí.

My Department is one of a number of agencies represented on the Inter-Agency Gorse Fire Group that explores issues surrounding such fires.  An Garda Síochána is also represented on the Group and leads any criminal investigation. My Department, of course, cooperates fully with Garda investigations and any other investigations that may be initiated by other statutory bodies.

With regard to specific actions in respect of Killarney National Park and adjacent areas, officials from my Department remain in close liaison with both the Gardaí and the Fire Service. Staff in Killarney National Park remain ever-vigilant when conditions exist that might result in fires in the Park. Fire management plans are in place and these have been provided to the Fire Service. There is an Inter-Agency group on wildfires in Kerry involving regional National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) staff of my Department, the Fire Service, Gardaí, Forestry Service, Coilte and others. This group meets on a regular basis. NPWS also meets and liaises with the Fire Officer directly as appropriate and necessary (e.g.to review arrangements and practical details e.g. re access point, codes, etc.). In the event of a fire, my staff have also worked closely with Fire Service responders on the ground. I would also note that in the event of a fire, Killarney National Park and the Fire Service have access to the Air Corps if deemed necessary, as was fortunately the case in 2015.

With regard to firebreaks, obviously there are ecological concerns. The Department explored how best to utilise natural features within the Park landscape – e.g. streams, rivers, tracks and trails – to act as “natural fire breaks” in helping to control the spread of wild fires within the Park.  Targeted and minimal on site work has taken place – including the cutting back of combustible material, (furze, heathers, over-grown grassland areas) – to create these “natural fire breaks” which should help to control the spread of wild fires, without impacting significantly of habitats (including “qualifying interests” in the Special Area of Conservation).  As the Deputy will appreciate, a balance has  to be achieved between works necessary/desirable to assist in the control of wild fires within designated areas (SACs, SPAs, NHAs, etc.) on the one hand and the sustainable conservation and protection of the qualifying interests within such designated sites.