Protection of Hedgerows Bill 2024
Public bill · Private Member · Introduced
Protecting hedgerows would become a clearer legal duty, with special protection for important hedgerows and a public register to record them. Removing a significant hedgerow would be banned except in limited cases, with an appeals process, penalties for breaking the rules, and a system for people to alert local authorities to possible damage. It would also update several other laws to help make sure hedgerow protection fits with roads, forestry, telecoms, electricity and rail projects.
Formal long title
Bill entitled an Act to make provision for the protection of hedgerows, to confer power on the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to make regulations for the protection of significant hedgerows and for the establishment of a register of significant hedgerows, to prohibit the removal of significant hedgerows except in specified circumstances, to make provision for an appeals procedure and for offences for infringement of this Act and regulations made thereunder; to amend the Roads Act 1993; to amend the Forestry Act 2014; to amend the Communications Regulation Act 2002; to amend the Electricity (Supply) Act 1927; to amend the Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Act 2001; to amend the Transport (Dublin Light Rail) Act 1996 and to make provision for a notification mechanism to local authorities regarding potential or actual infringements of this Act and regulations made thereunder; and to provide for related matters.
Last updated 2 May 2025
- First StageDáil
- Second StageDáil Current
- Protection of Hedgerows Bill 2024: First Stage Dáil