Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 June 2016
338. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to clarify the position regarding the issue of hedge cutting and burning; if she will maintain the current closed period and the action she will take do to ensure that this closed period is properly enforced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16699/16]
View answerSection 40 of the Wildlife Acts 1976, as amended, prohibits the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August.
Following a review of Section 40, which involved, inter alia, consideration of submissions from interested parties, I announced proposals in December 2015 to introduce legislation to allow for managed hedge cutting and burning at certain times within the existing closed period on a pilot two year basis. The legislation required to allow for these pilot measures was included in the Heritage Bill 2016, which was published in January 2016 and subsequently completed Second Stage in Seanad Éireann.
Steps are in hand to reintroduce the Heritage Bill into Seanad Éireann at the earliest opportunity. In the meantime, the existing provisions relating to Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts are still in operation.
