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Wildlife Protection

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 February 2019

Thursday, 21 February 2019

Questions (59)

Mick Wallace

Question:

59. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the scientific evidence which forms the basis for the extension of the upland burning season as presented in the draft wildlife (burning of vegetation) regulations 2018. [8597/19]

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Written answers

Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts 1976, as amended, prohibits the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August.

Following a review of Section 40, which included consideration of submissions from interested parties, proposals were announced in December 2015 to introduce legislation to allow for managed hedge cutting and burning at certain times within the existing closed period on a pilot two year basis.  The relevant legislation was included in the Heritage Bill 2016, which was enacted in July last year.

Section 7(1) of the Heritage Act 2018 provides that I may make Regulations to allow the burning of vegetation during such periods in the month of March and in such parts of the country as specified in the Regulations. My Department has published draft Regulations and best practice guidelines and interested parties were requested to submit their views to my Department on the draft documents by 31 January. The intention of the draft guidelines would be to provide guidance to landowners on a number of issues including rotational burning, the need to keep consideration of species and habitats to the fore in the context of any planned burning and on the need to liaise with relevant authorities and local fire service personnel. Some 30 submissions were received and these submissions are being examined within my Department.     

I would expect that I will be in a position to make a decision on whether to allow burning in certain areas of the country in March before the end of February which will take account of the contents of the submissions received and the weather conditions in the recent period on the basis of data provided by Met Eireann. In the meantime, the existing provisions in the Wildlife Acts on burning remain in force.

I would also point out to the Deputy that the burning provision will expire after a two-year pilot period although there is provision for continuation by resolution by each House of the Oireachtas for periods not to exceed 3 years.

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