Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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1087. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will consider reviewing the existing penalties for those prosecuted for illegal gorse fires in view of the contention of many heritage and wildlife groups that the existing measures do not act as a sufficient deterrent. [7356/20]

Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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1088. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of persons prosecuted for illegally starting gorse fires in 2018 and 2019, by county. [7358/20]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1087 and 1088 together.

My Department has taken some 8 prosecutions under the Wildlife Acts since 2010 for illegal burning of vegetation in counties Clare, Cork and Kerry. Fines have ranged from €50 to €600 with in some cases defendants also paying the prosecution legal costs and expenses. My Department also liaises with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) on cross compliance issues. It is my Department’s understanding that where there is sufficient evidence to indicate that lands have been illegally burned, DAFM will withhold payments to individuals. This sends out an important message. Officers of An Garda Síochána are also authorised to take prosecutions under the Wildlife Acts.

All the penalties for breaches of the Wildlife Acts were recently reviewed and changes were incorporated in the Heritage Act 2018. The penalties for breaches of the provisions of Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts relating to the illegal cutting of hedges, clearing and burning vegetation are now set as a class A fine and carry penalties of up to €5,000. An Garda Síochána may also take criminal prosecutions for damage to property as a result of burning.