A farmer in Co. Louth, Matthew McGreehan, believes that anyone who is caught lighting gorse fires "should be held responsible".

His comments come after a family in Omeath, Co. Louth voluntarily left their home after a gorse fire came "extremely close" to their house earlier this week (Tuesday, April 15), according to Sinn Féin councillor, Fiona Mhic Conchoille.

McGreehan said: "People shouldn’t point the finger at the farmers.

"All these fires, I don’t know about the one (on Tuesday night), that have started recently, have started down along the road where it’s very convenient and burnt places where it’s no advantage to a farmer being burnt.

"I do believe that people light fire for the sheer hell of it, and for the devilment of it. Farmers should not be held responsible just because it might be their property or commonage they share on.

"It’s no advantage to a farmer if their fence is burnt, and many fences have been burnt," he said.

The farmer added that it’s no advantage to a farmer if a fire gets out of control, or if it effects their payments.

McGreehan has said that people "shouldn't jump to the conclusion" that its farmers who could be responsible.

"If people are caught, and there’s evidence, they should be held responsible," he continued.

"People should not jump to the conclusion that it was farmers who started it, or that it was the poor old land owner who has to put up a new fence, because some hooligan came along, stopped the car and went away saying oh, look at that big fire," he added.

Cllr. Mhic Conchoille told Agriland that the gardaí and the fire department responded to the incident in Omeath on Tuesday evening.

She said: "The fire got very close to houses. We got reports that people were being evacuated out of their houses.

"The gardaí didn’t have to (evacuate) in the end. The family contacted me, they just came out themselves, but gardaí were ready to evacuate, if the fire didn’t get under control. Thankfully they got it under control," she added.

In a statement, gardaí told Agriland that no injuries were reported and there was no damage to property. They also said that no offence has been disclosed.

Mhic Conchoille said that the fires always begin "under the cover of darkness".

"The gorse fires are going nearly every second night. It’s extremely close to the houses. This is happening every second or third night," she said.

"From March 1 to September 1, you’re not allowed start fires. We’re into the month of April, and it's still going on. It’s a common occurrence," she added.

The Sinn Féin councillor has called for stronger regulation to tackle gorse fires.

She said: "According to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine [DAFM], gorse fires are banned from March 1 until September 1 to protect wildlife. However, at this point, the focus should also be on protecting families and their homes.

"This regulation needs to be enforced, and those responsible for starting these fires should be held accountable, as they can spread quickly and cause significant devastation.

"[Tuesday's] fire in Omeath could have turned out much worse for the families living nearby."