The National Parks and Wildlife Service at the Department of Housing has confirmed it is investigating a fire on Sunday evening 9 February on the Mizen Head Peninsula.

A programme manager to establish 15 local deer management units around the country was a key recommendation of the Deer Management Strategy Group.

The Department of Agriculture issued advice ahead of the storm, which will see the whole country under a status red warning for much of the first half of Friday.

The initiative is in cooperation with the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Co Clare Dog Warden Service with checkpoints being carried out across Co Clare.

Given the small and fragmentary nature of Irish woodlands, it is likely that many ancient and long-established woodlands are not included in the provisional inventory, the report found.

Lough Ree is Ireland's number one hotspot for breeding waterbirds, such as the curlew, lapwing, redshank and oystercatcher.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service snapped up over 3,000ac of land last year, with more land deals in the works.

The issue was raised in a motion by Independent Councillor Finbarr Harrington at a meeting of Cork County Council’s West Cork Municipal District.

The scheme was launched by Minister for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, with up to €600,000 in funding available for community-led projects.