Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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459. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will engage with stakeholders including NPWS, Teagasc, county councils, and the fire service to develop a multiyear fire prevention plan for the Comeragh Mountains, addressing the increased risk posed by heavy heather growth and rising tourist numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67704/25]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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My Department provides advice and information to the forestry sector, landowners and relevant state agencies in relation to forest fire risk monitoring, prevention and management. This is available on my Department’s website.

My Department provides advance warnings regarding wildfire risk through the main fire risk period from March to September. During 2025 my Department issued nine Fire Danger Notices in response to periods of increased fire risk. These fire risk notices give landowners and managers time to prepare equipment and people, and to take steps to prevent and reduce losses from fire.

My Department also issues reminders to farmers that illegal burning of agricultural lands may result in the loss of agricultural payments and penalties. In recent years we have seen a marked reduction in uncontrolled fires arising from agricultural burning.

The Comeragh Mountains SAC falls entirely within ACRES Leinster (East South East) Co-operation Zone. Within ACRES, bracken management falls into two actions; Bracken Strimming and Bracken Mechanical. These actions are both available under ACRES Co-operation Non-Productive Investments (NPIs) and Landscape Actions (LAs).

While my Department currently has no plans to develop a multiyear fire prevention plan specifically for the Comeragh Mountains, my Department, through the funding for European Innovation Partnerships (EIP) and ACRES have supported and are supporting landowners who have included fire risk reduction and fire prevention components into their scheme proposals. I am aware that landowners in the Comeragh Mountains have availed of both EIP and ACREs funding.