Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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65. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the examination and action that have been carried out or are in the process of being carried out by his Department with regard to damage to the general environment following the fires which have caused extensive damage in substantial parts of Connemara threatening lives and livestock; the result of that examination; the extent of the damage; the steps necessary to avoid a repeat of this disaster; the extra resources that will be needed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29476/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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My Department has no statutory function for any follow-up actions in relation to the recent fires in Connemara, though as Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, I am of course concerned about the potential impacts of these events on the environment and, of course, the communities, farms and businesses in the areas affected.

The statutory responsibility for fire mitigation and dealing with fire emergencies rests across a range of other Government Departments and Agencies. With regard to gorse fires in particular, as one of a number of measures to deal with the matter, I am advised that an Inter-Agency Gorse Fire Group has been established. The Group is charged with exploring issues including the development of risk mitigation strategies and resource deployment to tackle such fires should they occur. I understand the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marinewill chair this group, and membership will include the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, particularly the National Parks and Wildlife Service of that Department, the Fire Services, and An Garda Síochána. The Department of Housing Planning, Community and Local Government will also participate in this Group, as it has primary responsibility for the response to fire emergencies.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is responsible generally for the prevention and mitigation of wildland fires, as well as regulating permitted controlled burning of agricultural land. That Department has published a Prescribed Burning Code of Practice which sets out guidelines for farmers in this regard, together with details of when it is not permitted to start such controlled fires.  The Code of Practice is accessible on the Department of Agriculture's website.  I understand that the Department of Agriculture  has sanctioned farmers who have breached the controlled burning guidelines by suspending single farm payments.

The Wildlife Act, 1976, which is the responsibility of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, sets out further regulations with regard to burning of uncultivated land. Specifically, it is an offence under Section 40 of that Act(as amended by Section 46 of the Wildlife Act, 2000) to burn, from 1 March to 31 August in a given year, any vegetation growing on any land not then cultivated. With regard to fires within National Parks specifically, the National Parks and Wildlife Service is in close liaison with both the Gardaí and the Fire Service on an ongoing basis. They remain ever-vigilant, particularly when weather conditions exist that might increase the likelihood of fires in our national parks. Breaches of the 1976 Act as amended, or cases of arson, are criminal matters and as such should be referred to An Garda Síochána for investigation and prosecution.