Council to issue notices over hedge cutting

Every year Cavan County Council publishes a hedge cutting notice to advise the public of their obligations in relation to hedgerows along public roads.

Senior Executive Engineer, John McGahern, explained that seasonal cutting commences in September and most people are responsible and cut their hedges. "Some don’t unfortunately," he said.

"We usually wait for four to six weeks after the season starts to give people a chance to get their hedges cut. There is always a rush to get hedge cutters to do the work and you just can’t get them when you want them," explained the engineer at a recent meeting of the Ballyjamesduff Municipal District Authority.

Mr McGahern was responding to Cllr Winston Bennett (FG) who raised the issue of overgrown hedges.

In addition to concerns about visibility and road safety, Cllr Bennett said that the mirrors of lorries are being broken and each mirror costs between €500 and €700 to replace.

The engineer clarified that the "landowner is responsible for any damage caused to a vehicle by their hedge or trees".

Mr McGahern said the council is following up with particular landowners who have yet to cut back hedges. "It is around this time of the year that we do get submissions from our own staff and from councillors. We do issue notices on the back of that," he said.

He added that much good work had already been done. Mr McGahern pointed out, for example, that a fantastic job had been done on the hedges between Killyfassey and Finea.

Cllr Shane P. O’Reilly (Ind) pointed out that 99 per cent of people involved in agriculture and the farming community look after their hedges along roads but there are some who don’t take any responsibility whatsoever.

Cllr T.P. O’Reilly (FG) added: "We all know the hedges should be cut. I asked a farmer two weeks ago about doing something about a particular hedge on the Virginia/Bailieboro Road. He said he would get it sorted and he did."

Cllr Bennett said a great job had also been done on the hedges from Ballinagh to Gowna recently

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