Junior minister believes farming practices must change to tackle gorse fires

A junior agriculture minister believes farming practices need to change in order to tackle gorse fires.

Minister Pippa Hackett was speaking after Kerry Fire Service was called out to deal with 15 gorse, bog, and hillside fires last weekend.

She was very disappointed by the recent fires in Kerry and across the country.

The Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine believes a mixture of prosecutions and education will solve the problem of illegal gorse fires.

She feels a change in practices such as upland management is key.