Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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106. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 65 of 27 June 2017, if he will provide an update on the establishment of the inter-agency gorse fire group; if the group still operates; if so, if the membership of this group will be outlined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29890/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Statutory responsibility for mitigation and dealing with fire emergencies in wildland areas and areas of ecological sensitivity are distributed appropriately across a range of Government Departments and Agencies. The Inter-Agency group referred to was established and chaired by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The Group was tasked with exploring issues including the development of fire risk mitigation strategies and resource deployment for such fires when they occur.

My Department attended these meetings in its role of assisting local authority fire services. I understand that the last meeting of the Group was held in January 2019. I also understand that a report from the group was presented to the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning in 2019.