Written answers

Tuesday, 3 October 2017

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Gorse Burning

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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51. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the inter-agency gorse fire group has been established; the specific objectives and term of the group; the number of times the group has met; the names and positions of each of the members; if an interim report has been published; if so, if he will provide a copy of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41671/17]

Photo of Michael CreedMichael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I am not aware of any proposal to establish an inter-agency gorse fire group.

My colleague, the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government has responsibility in relation to fire prevention measures, fire response and emergency planning. As the Deputy will be aware, the Fire and Emergency Services in Ireland are managed at local authority level, with the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government playing an advisory, legislative and policy-making role. In addition, the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) which is a section in the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, co-ordinate emergency responses and give support to the Irish Fire Service.

The burning of vegetation is controlled by the Wildlife Acts, which is the responsibility of the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts 1976, prohibits the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetation, with certain strict exemption, from 1 March to 31st of August. 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.

While cognisant of the wide-ranging impacts of wildfires, there are two aspects which fall within the remit of my Department . Firstly, the risk to the national forest estate (including that of Coillte) and forest owners’ eligibility for forestry premiums and secondly, land eligibility for farmers under the Basic Payment Scheme.

In this regard, my Department continues its efforts in the area of fire awareness and education among farmers and forest owners, including advising farmers of the legal position in relation to burning vegetation. Forest Fire Danger Notices are issued during the main wildfire risk season from February through to September. These notices provide forest owners and managers with advance warning of high-risk weather conditions, and permit appropriate readiness measures to be taken in advance of fire outbreaks.

My officials also work closely with a small number of local groups around the country such as the Cork Wildfire Cooperative Group . Similar groups exist in Kerry and Laois and I understand that they are normally chaired by the respective Chief Fire Officers.

Following the spate of wildfires in the first part of 2017 and in particular two large forest fires in the Ox Mountains in Co Roscommon and in Cloosh valley Co. Galway, the agencies involved in the response efforts were invited to a meeting of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning on 24thMay 2017.

My colleague the Minister for Defence, Paul Kehoe TD who chairs the Government Task Force, asked that a coordinated reportbe prepared on the lessons learned and recommendations from those Departments/Agencies involved in the response efforts.

My Department convened a meeting which took place between relevant Departments and Agencies involved in the response efforts on 29thAugust 2017. Those present included staff from the Department of Defence, Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government - National Fire and Emergency Planning Directorate, the Defence Forces - Air Corp, the Defence Forces – Current Operations and Plans Branch, Coillte, Kerry Fire Services, Roscommon Fire Services, Galway Fire Services, and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment.

Following the meeting a report was prepared and this report was circulated to the members of the Government Task Force and presented at its meeting of 27thSeptember. I understand that this report is available and lists a number of recommendations and actions for the various Agencies and Departments involved.

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