Hedge cutting message ‘not getting to the right people’

Cllr Áine Smith (FF) has called upon local landowners to maintain their hedges and grass areas along roadsides.

In relation to hedge cutting, the elected member warned that there is "going to be an accident" at Cafferty’s Cross, located between Templeport Resource Centre and Kilnavart Church, due to "overgrown" hedges.

On the grass verges, the councillor said that pedestrians "cannot" walk along some roadsides as they are so overgown, forcing them to step out on the road, which she considers dangerous. While Cllr Smith acknowledged that maintaining hedges and grass is the responsibility of the landowner, she asked the council if there is anything that can be done in places this is not being carried out.

She suggested that the council give notice to the landowners using local media.

"If notice is given by the council and the job is still not done, what pressure are we putting on to make sure landowners are cutting their hedges?" Cllr Brendan Fay (Ind) asked the recent Cavan-Belturbet Municipal District meeting.

He agreed overgown hedges are "dangerous" for motorists and also mentioned the damage they can cause to vehicles.

"Put it [the notice] into the Celt and on Northern Sound," he suggested. "This [hedge cutting] is not the council's job, it is the landowner's responsibility."

MD Cathaoirleach John Paul Feeley (FF) acknowledged and praised the "many" people who do maintain their hedges, and said those along the N3 are "maintained to a very high standard". However, he said, when people turn off the main road they are faced with a different scenario.

He also highlighted how it is illegal to cut hedges at this time of year - with hedge cutting season running from September 1 and the end of February.

Cllr Feeley said "most people" do respond to the council notice and cut their hedges, however some have "ignored" the letter. "Clearly the case in a good few places," he believes.

Area Engineer Paul Mulligan said the council issues notices to landowners and follows up on these letters.

"We have worked with landowners and we have achieved some great results," he praised. However, the area engineer conceded that "unfortunately some" have not acted on the notices.

"In problematic areas, we are working with landowners," assured Mr Mulligan. "Is there anything more the council could be doing?" Cllr Feeley probed.

Mr Mulligan reiterated that the council are doing their level best to address problematic areas and have got results in those places, and said that the council "do not have the resources or the funding" to cut every hedge and verge in the county.

"Is there some sort of campaign we could run with the local media to say that it is the landowner's responsibility?" Cllr Fay furthered, adding: "there is a belief out there that it is the council's job."

Director of Services Brendan Jennings then told the MD meeting that their communications department "has the message going out".

However, he believes the message is still "not getting to the right people". He stated that people living locally should take "pride" in maintaining their land, and said they do it out of "respect for their neighbours".

"People who are living away don't care," suggested Mr Jennings, who again said the council "don't have the manpower" to cut all hedges in the county.

However he said he believes the situation "is getting better".