2026-05-14

93. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions he is taking to prevent wildfires and encourage preventative measures by landowners as we enter the summers months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34394/26]

143. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding any actions he is taking that seek to prevent wildfires, particularly any engagement he is having with State agencies as we head into the summer months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34395/26]

Will the Minister underline the actions being taken to prevent wildfires and encourage preventative measures by landowners as we enter the summer months?

I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 143 together. My Department implements a number of measures annually to raise awareness of fire risks among forest owners, managers, farmers and other land managers. My Department monitors fire risk throughout the fire season in conjunction with Met Éireann and communicates high-risk fire weather phases in advance to the forest sector and other relevant stakeholders, including local authorities via fire danger notices. This enables preparedness and readiness of key equipment and personnel ahead of fire outbreaks. In the year to date my Department has issued two such notices. In 2025 my Department issued nine fire danger notices. Fire danger notices may be viewed on my Department's website. My Department maintains a website with relevant information on fire risks, prevention and specific guidance on responsible use of fire by landowners. My Department also provides specific wildfire safety advice to the general public via the whole-of-government Be Summer Ready campaign. My Department also co-ordinates on fire management with the European Union and other member states via the European forest fire expert group and also via the FORRISK forest risk facility coordinated by the European Forest Institute. It is an offence to cut, grub, burn or otherwise destroy any vegetation growing on any land not cultivated between 1 March and 31 August in any year. Landowners found burning illegally could face fines, imprisonment and single farm payment penalties, where applicable. My Department monitors for activity closely and fires on agricultural land are investigated in relation to basic payments, or BISS, eligibility. My Department has no role in prosecutions under the Wildlife Act 1976. That clearly outlines the work that comes under and the responsibility of my Department regarding wildfires and the challenges in that space. As I said, it is one of those issues that crosses more than just my Department.

We are always asking responsible landowners to act as custodians of the land and to act responsibly by following the regulations as set out by the Minister in regard to burning and taking those preventative steps. However, at the same time they are also exposed to the risks created by the actions of others with limited protection or recourse. In places like the Cooley Mountains we can see how quickly fires can take hold. There have been incidents where multiple gorse fires have broken out in a matter of hours. They have stretched the local fire services and threatened homes, farmland and forestry. These are not isolated risks. It is something the communities in north Louth have experienced directly. That is especially concerning and it is why I wanted to highlight there is a pattern in some of these fires. Too often they are not accidental but started deliberately and it is the landowner who tends to have to bear the burden of the financial cost. Very often when these fires are started, whether accidentally or intentionally, we have issues where people come on to land and set fire to bales of hay during the year and then disappear. If the fire brigade is called out its staff do their job and I recognise the services of the Louth fire brigade, which is absolutely exceptional in dealing with these fires. However, then the bill comes to the landowner and they are pursued by the fire services to pay a bill for something they were not responsible for in the first place. There is a perception in Louth that the financial and emotional burden can be unfair on landowners even when they have no role in causing the fire. That sense of injustice is deeply felt and landowners are doing their very best, as the Minister knows, day in, day out. We clearly need a more balanced approach.

I do not disagree. The Deputy articulated very clearly how her constituents in the Cooleys, and people in many mountainous areas countrywide, are deeply affected by wildfires that happen for a variety of reasons. Obviously some of what she described is criminal activity with very serious consequences for our wildlife, habitats and countryside and needs to be dealt with. It is important to recognise landowners may carry out controlled fires on uncultivated land from 1 September each year to the last day of February. This is only allowed if it is done in a controlled manner and provided the landowner follows the correct safety procedures. Uncultivated land is land that is not normally farmed or managed. That controlled burning is probably something that happens less now, for a variety of reasons. Farmers are older, there is less generational renewal on our hill farms and it is work for younger farmers but if that scrub and uncultivated land is not cleared it can be a tinder box at a dry time of the year. There was an official fire danger notice issued only a few weeks ago and I was struck this had been necessary after the wettest winter we have had, a very wet early spring and before we are even really in the summer. It goes to show how quickly, with climate change, our land can dry with a very drying wind and the risk that creates for the high-risk period we are in. It is about enforcement of very clear rules where there is bad practice but also about supporting people so they are aware of the rules and what they can do in that important period.

I thank the Minister. The irony is not lost on me that the rain is bucketing down outside yet we are talking about fire notices but it is an important conversation to have. We have to be summer ready, as he rightly said. This is about protecting our farmers, our communities and our landscape. It is about ensuring those who act responsibly are not left to carry the consequences of those who do not. In Louth, even a small number of fires can have a disproportionate impact. We have a landscape that is very close to our communities and our communities are very close to their landscape and their nature. It is actively farmed and widely used for recreation. That is why taking preventative actions, getting the message out and educating people who come into our areas to enjoy the landscape so they are very well aware of the damage they may cause, whether accidentally or intentionally.

I again thank the Deputy for raising what is a really important issue. Sometimes we do not talk about these facts until after an incident when it is too late and the damage has affected our landscape, wildlife and farmers. It comes back a little to the relationship between landowners in the area and members of the public who maybe live in a more urban setting and love to share that amenity. That is where the Be Summer Ready campaign is really important. Obviously farmers are well aware, as custodians of the land, of what needs to be done, what their responsibilities are and what the penalties are if they are acting on the wrong side of the law but the public have to be acutely aware their actions have very real consequences. A lot of this is about communication and ensuring we communicate very clearly the risks and hazards people might not be as aware of, how quickly these fires can take off and, as the Deputy said, how they have a disproportionate effect on an area. I again thank her for raising those points.