Once again, a spate of illegally started fires burning at various upland locations around the country have required the interventions of the fire service, which is a drain on their resources and puts people’s lives at risk.

Speaking about this ongoing issue, Green Party Spokesperson on Agriculture, Senator Pippa Hackett, said: “We are more than 6 weeks into the closed season, fires are still being lit and habitats are being destroyed. We saw the outpouring of condemnation for the recent fires in Brazil and in Australia, yet our Government does little or nothing to deal with such fires here.

“The empty threats from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and from the Department of Culture, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht are falling on deaf ears, and have done so for years. These illegal burners know that there is little or no chance of any fines or penalties, and so it continues, year in, year out. Our natural heritage deserves so much better than this.

“We are calling on the Government to enforce the legislation and rules that exist in relation to illegal burning. We are also calling on farm organisations to demand that their upland members do not start illegal fires, and to highlight to them the importance of their land for natural habitats, and for ground nesting birds at this time. The damage these farmers are causing to habitats, and the lives that are put at risk as our fire services deal with their illegal actions, is totally unacceptable.

“The solution to this could be very simple. The Department of Agriculture needs to apply some common sense, and to change the eligibility rules in relation to the BPS payments, which incentivise burning and habitat destruction. A balance needs to be struck between farmland and habitats, and upland farmers should be supported to manage their lands in a way that not only supports these important ecosystems, but also provides them with an income for doing this.”