éirígí Tir Chonaill

Gá le Gníomh ar Thinte Aitinn - éirígí

28/04/10

(English version follows)

Ghlaoigh urlabhraí éirígí Thír Chonaill Micheál Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig arís ar Chomhairle Chondae Dhún na nGall scéim traenála a bhunú le teagasc d’oibrithe deonacha na bealaí is fearr tinte aitinn a throid.

Tagann a ráiteas i ndiaidh tine aitinn eile Déardaoin seo caite i gceantar Bhaile na Finne, a raibh druidim bóithre, damáiste do shealúchas agus cur isteach mar thoradh orthu.

“Leis an mhéadú mhór atá ag teacht ar thinte aitinn ar fud Dhún na nGall de réir dealraimh sílim gur choir don Chomhairle Condae i gcomhar leis an tSeirbhís Dóiteáin machnamh a dhéanamh ar scéim traenála a sheoladh a thabharfadh an t-eolas d’oibrithe deonacha áitiúla le troid in aghaidh na dtinte atá ag déanamh an oiread sin damáiste agus cur isteach le tamall beag anuas,” arsa é.

“Le cúpla seachtain anuas chonaic muid tinte i gceantracha Bhaile na Finne, Ghaoth Dobhair, Anagaire agus an Chraoslaigh agus in áiteanna chomh fada óna chéile le Cúil Dabhcha in Inis Eoghain agus Bhaile Dhún na nGall. Is féidir a leithéid de thine a chur faoi smacht go gasta dá mbeadh an traenáil cheart ag daoine áitiúla le heachtra ar nós tine aitinn a láimhseáil. Thig leis na tinte sin cur isteach forleathan agus dochar timpeallachta ollmhór a dhéanamh má théann siad as smacht, mar a chonaic muid i gceantar Bhaile na Finne le déanaí. Nuair a tharlaíonn seo tá an tSeirbhís Dóiteáin sínithe chuig a n-acmhainn feidhmithe agus cuireann seo saolta i mbaol dá réir. Is draein mhór ar an cháiníocóir é freisin nuair atá an tseirbhís dóiteáin gafa i dtinte aitinn a throid.”

Chríochnaigh sé, “Dá mbeadh aonaid dheonacha againn leis an traenáil cheart le tinte aitinn a throid thiocfadh leo ansin measúnú a dhéanamh an dtig leo na tinte a thabhairt faoi smacht iad féin agus an bhfuil gá scairt a chur ar an tseirbhís dóiteáin. Ar mhaithe le leas an cháiníocóra, na timpeallachta agus an rud is tábhachtaí, saolta daoine, measaim go bhfuil sé ag dlí ar Chomhairle Condae Dhún na nGall machnamh dáiríre a dhéanamh air seo. Idir an dá linn ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an tseirbhís dóiteáin i dTír Chonaill agus an obair iontach agus dothuirsithe a dhéanann siad sa réigiún seo.”

Need for Action on Gorse Fires - éirígí

Spokesperson for éirígí Tir Chonaill, Micheál Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig, has called again for Donegal County Council to establish a training programme to instruct volunteers on the best methods of fighting gorse fires.

His comments come in the wake of another gorse fire last Thursday in the Fintown area which lead to road closures, damage to property and disruption in the area.

“Given the seemingly huge increase in gorse fires throughout County Donegal I think the County Council, in conjunction with the Fire Service, should give serious consideration to launching a training programme which would give local volunteers the know-how to fight the fires which have been causing so much damage and disruption in recent times,” he said.

“In the last several weeks alone we have seen fires in the Fintown, Gweedore, Annagry, and Creeslough areas and in places as far apart as Culdaff in Inishowen to Donegal Town. Fires such as these could quickly be brought under control if people who live local to the fire were properly trained in dealing with an event such as a gorse fire. Such fires can cause widespread disruption and huge environmental damage if they manage to get out of control, as we have seen in the Fintown area most recently. When this happens the fire service are then stretched to their operational capacity and this in turn puts lives at risk. Having the fire service tied up in fighting gorse fires is also a huge drain to the tax payer.”

He concluded, “If we had local volunteer units properly trained to fight gorse fires they then could make the assessment if they can bring the fires under control themselves and whether or not the fire service need to be called out. In the interests of the taxpayers, the environment and most importantly human lives, I think it it is incumbent upon Donegal County Council to give this serious consideration. In the meantime I would like to pay tribute to the fire service in Donegal and the fantastic and tireless work they do in the region.”