1781. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he or his Department will conduct an assessment on the future requirement for specialist wildfire aviation training, equipment or aircraft capability. [60433/26]

1782. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of wildfire incidents in each year from 2020 to date for which aerial firefighting support was requested. [60427/26]

1783. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a cross-Departmental assessment will be commissioned for a permanent, seasonal, shared or on-demand aerial wildfire response capability, including rotary-wing and fixed-wing options. [60421/26]

1784. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department or the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management has completed, commissioned or participated in a review, exercise, feasibility study or capability-gap assessment since 2020 concerning Ireland’s response to major wildfires, including rotary-wing or fixed-wing firefighting aircraft. [60407/26]

1800. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he and his Department have recently examined the national wildfire preparedness and response, including the assessment, activation and coordination of aerial firefighting resources. [60403/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1781, 1782, 1783, 1784 and 1800 together.

The provision of a fire service within its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts 1981 & 2003.

My Department supports fire authorities through the development of national policy, the provision of a central training programme, the issuance of operational guidance and the provision of capital funding for equipment and priority infrastructural projects.

Wildland fires can occur in certain areas during periods of dry weather. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine monitors conditions and issues Fire Danger Notices when the risk of wildland fires is elevated. Despite ongoing prevention and awareness measures undertaken by a range of agencies, including local authority fire services, Coillte, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and local communities, wildland fires continue to occur. Such incidents can present significant challenges and may have impacts on local communities, property, infrastructure and environmentally sensitive areas.

Following the initial response to a reported fire, decisions regarding the deployment and management of fire service resources are matters for the Incident Commander at the scene, having regard to the circumstances of the incident and prevailing operational considerations.

Fire services may draw on established mutual assistance arrangements with neighbouring local authority fire services where additional resources are required. Local authorities also work closely with local communities and other agencies in responding to and managing the impacts of wildland fire incidents.

The nature, scale and location of wildland fires can make them particularly challenging incidents to manage. Fire services respond in accordance with established operational procedures and risk assessment processes, with incident commanders determining the most appropriate response strategy in light of local conditions and firefighter safety considerations.

The primary objective of all emergency response activity is the protection of life, including the safety of members of the public and emergency responders. Fire services also seek, where possible and safe to do so, to protect property, infrastructure, environmentally sensitive areas and other at-risk locations.

The response to significant wildland fire incidents may be supported through established arrangements involving a range of public sector organisations. Through the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) in my Department, and in cooperation with the Department of Defence, assistance may be sought from the Defence Forces where appropriate. Other organisations which may provide support within their respective statutory roles include:

• the NPWS; and

• Coillte.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for monitoring air quality, while the HSE has responsibility for public health matters, including the coordination of health service responses to air quality impacts where required.

My Department intends to undertake an inter-agency review of the 2026 wildland fire season. Relevant stakeholders will be invited to participate in the review, which will consider lessons identified across prevention, preparedness, coordination and response arrangements. The findings of the review will inform future planning and preparedness measures and, following completion, will be shared through the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning .