Minister 'not in a position to introduce hedge cutting grant'
The Minister for Transport, Darragh O'Brien has said that any grant scheme for hedge cutting is a matter for local authorities and landowners, and he is not in a position to introduce a scheme.
In a parliamentary question this week, Fianna Fáil TD for Kerry, Michael Cahill asked the minister to consider introducing a grant for landowners and farmers to cut roadside hedges.
"A small grant, for example, of €60/km, for landowners and farmers to cut roadside hedges and €100/km to cut roadside trees, ensuring the safety of all road users given increasing strong winds and storms," Deputy Cahill said.
Minister O'Brien said that the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), and the local authorities.
"As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme," Minister O'Brien said.
"Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for TII, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
"This is also subject to the Infrastructure Guidelines and the necessary statutory approvals," he added.
According to Minister O'Brien, section 70 of the Roads Act 1993 sets out the responsibility of landowners to take all reasonable steps to ensure that trees, hedges, and other vegetation growing on their land are not, or could not become, a danger to people using a public road or interfere with the safe use of a public road or the maintenance of a public road.
This responsibility includes "the preservation, felling, cutting, lopping, trimming or removal of such tree, shrub, hedge or other vegetation" in question.
In a separate question this week, Fine Gael TD for Sligo-Leitrim, Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne, if he will consider extending the hedge cutting timeframe considering the recent storm damage and the requirement to deal with damaged roadside trees and hedgerow.
Minister Browne highlighted the current legislation, that prohibits hedge cutting from March 1 to August 31.
However, the minister said that, since the dates are set out in primary legislation, he has no power or discretion to vary these dates. The season may only be extended by primary legislation enacted by the Oireachtas.
