Senator Paddy Burke is urging Minister Heather Humphreys to progress hedge-cutting legislation, which will bring forward the cutting start date to August, in order to make rural roads safer.
“This is an issue which I raised in the Seanad recently and I have asked for Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural, and Gaeltacht Affairs Heather Humphreys to come into the chamber for a debate on it," the Mayo Fine Gael senator said.
“The Minister has already committed to introducing legislation to allow for managed hedge cutting and burning at certain times, within the existing closed period, on a pilot basis. The legislation will allow managed hedge cutting, under strict criteria, during August, to help ensure issues such as overgrown hedges impacting on roads can be tackled.
“This legislation needs to be progressed as a matter of urgency," Sen Burke added.
"I also feel there is a need for better co-ordination between local authorities, the ESB and all the telecommunications utilities that engage in hedge-cutting. I would urge the Minister to change the hedge cutting start date to August, as soon as possible.”
