Ireland cannot be 'complacent' when  responding to threats such as wildfires, says Micheál Martin 

The Taoiseach said he will convene a meeting at the end of August to evaluate how authorities responded recent fires

A seaplane drops water onto the fire as a wildfire advances near La Adrada, Ávila province, Spain, this July. File picture: Manu Fernandez/AP

Wildfires in Europetarget="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> in recent weeks must serve as a warning that Ireland cannot be “complacent”, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has warned.

A meeting with all relevant stakeholders to assess the response to the fires and any future actions needed to tackle wildfires will be convened by the end of August.

Parts of Greece, France, and Spain have been devastated by wildfires in recent weeks, as extreme heat continues to engulf Europe.

There have been several fires around Ireland this summer, including in Slievenamon, Co Tipperary, Comeragh Mountains in Waterford, and Killarney National Park in Kerry. Smoke can still be smelled around south Dublin following fires in Glencullen in the Dublin mountains over recent days.

Last month, retailers were asked to stop selling disposable barbecues over concerns that they were responsible for many of the wildfires breaking out across the country.

The Taoiseach said he will convene a meeting at the end of August to evaluate how authorities responded to the fires.

“What we've witnessed in France and in Spain and Greece and elsewhere is a warning for us that we cannot be complacent in terms of this phenomenon,” he said.

“We’ve had this in previous years in Ireland. We must make sure that we are optimally prepared to deal with any eventualities in this situation.

“Legislation that will underpin the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will give additional statutory powers to the NPWS in terms of certain activities on national parks, which will be welcome.”

Mr Martin said the Government, local authorities, and bodies such as Coillte will evaluate their responses and determine how to “collectively” manage fires when they break out.

'Adaptation' is key

He said “adaptation” will be a “key issue” for heat, wildfires, food production systems, and flooding events.

“I've convened meetings in the aftermath of all of those to look at where we did well, where we didn't do well, and how we can close gaps and enhance our resilience and our capacity.

“It's going to be a very significant issue, and in my view, it'll be very significant for food production, and we need to be ready for it.”

Agriculture minister Martin Heydon said there has to be an “element of personal responsibility”, adding people bringing portable barbeques to “areas that are a tinderbox” is “not acceptable”.

He said farmers must be provided with “economic sustainability” to ensure they can continue farming hills. Otherwise, he warned, there could be “land abandonment” which would result in land “being that fuel for future fires”.

• Louise Burne is Political Correspondent.