From:Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

“I welcome Tesco’s decision to remove disposable barbecues from sale across all of its stores in Ireland. This is a responsible and timely action that demonstrates real environmental and community leadership, and Tesco is to be commended for taking this important step.“This decision comes at a time when two major wildfires continue to burn. These include one in Wicklow Mountains National Park and another in Killarney National Park, which continues to flare in hot spots and has not yet been fully extinguished. National Parks and Wildlife Service staff, firefighters and other emergency personnel have been working tirelessly for almost three days to bring these dangerous fires under control.“The current conditions serve as a stark reminder of the devastating impact that fires can have on our landscapes, wildlife, local communities and the dedicated emergency services who respond to them.“I hope that other retailers will now follow the excellent leadership shown by Tesco and take similar precautionary measures during this period of heightened fire risk. By working together, we can all play our part in protecting the countryside and its wildlife and habitats, supporting our emergency responders and reducing the risk of further devastating fires.”