Holly Cairns
Question:294. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps he is taking in response to illegal land burning which occurred in Cork south-west in recent days. [11085/23]
View answerTuesday, 7 March 2023
Questions (294)
Written answers
I thank the Deputy for raising this serious issue. Illegal and uncontrolled burning of land brings a high degree of danger and causes serious damage in some of our most important natural landscapes. In respect of fires in South and West Cork, unfortunately some of these extensive fires occurred in designated sites (Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas). Preliminary investigations indicate more than 6000 acres were burnt.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department prioritises fire patrols to take account of the prohibited period for burning under Section 40 of the Wildlife Act (from 01 March to 31 August), and to take account of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs). In the event that any burning incidents are observed in SACs or SPAs during these patrols they will be investigated under the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011. For undesignated areas, investigations will be under Section 40 of the Wildlife Act. Where evidence is adequate the NPWS will seek a prosecution. As is standard practice, the NPWS will also report illegal fires to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) through the Cross Compliance procedures which may result in automatic deductions to landowners from their Basic Farm Payment.
Particular and increasing vigilance in aerial monitoring is in place across our National Parks and Nature Reserves, designated sites and wider countryside this year. We are monitoring fires along the West Coast and spreading South to Cork and Kerry including close surveillance on Killarney National Park. NPWS staff remain vigilant, working closely with the Gardaí and the Fire Service, and will continue aerial surveillance with increasing regularity and to supplement the intense ground patrol over the coming months.
Cork based staff of the NPWS actively participate in the Cork Wildfire Co-Operation Group, which is an Inter-Agency initiative (NPWS, DAFM, Forest Service, Teagasc, Coillte, Fire Service, Gardaí, and the Irish Farmers Association). Its brief is to foster best practice and legal compliance with vegetation burning by landowners.
The NPWS is also working to review, consolidate and modernise the Wildlife Act and the Birds and Habitats Regulations. The updates to this legislation will be wide-ranging but will have a particular focus on deterrence and on improving the enforceability of wildlife laws.