Hedge-cutting season extension
Deputy Fitzmaurice asks for a temporary extension of hedge-cutting rules to help contractors after storm-related work delays and before the season closes. The Minister says the timelines protect wildlife, but she will raise the request with the responsible Minister.
I wish the Minister well in her new portfolio. She will be well aware that over the last few weeks the people of the west, the north west and the midlands have suffered fair torture with the storm. In the context of legislation relating to the Department of the environment at the moment, many contractors went to help the likes of the ESB and the councils to get trees off roads and all of that type of work. Those contractors need to do work for farmers and the hedge-cutting season is closing at the end of this month. Can the Minister's Government look at giving a two-week period now for those people who had to go there to help during the storm to allow them to help the farming community? Will the Government bring in legislation to ensure that trees, be they on roadsides or in forestry, will be dealt with to ensure we will not again go through the torture we have seen people go through in the last few weeks?
Comment on this
I thank the Deputy for the question. He will be aware that the timelines are there to protect wildlife and certain nature.
Comment on this
It is certainly a question I can ask and relay to the Minister. The objective is that we do everything possible to put in place measures to prevent the type of destruction we saw in the last several weeks. I will certainly relay the specific timeline and the Deputy's request to the Minister.