I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to come to the House for a debate on hedge cutting. There have been more fatalities on the roads this year than in other years. The Minister should consider bringing forward the date on which hedge cutting can commence from the current date in September.

What about the rare birds?

I think it should be brought forward to August. Children now go back to school in August, which is earlier than they used to go back. This year there was much more rapid growth in August than in other years. I think the Minister has to look at this from a road safety point of view. There is a need for better co-ordination between local authorities and the ESB and the telecommunications utilities that engage in hedge cutting. The Minister should come to the House with a view to moving the date on which hedge cutting works can start to earlier in the year.