Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 October 2016
588. Deputy Pat Casey asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the agency responsible for the maintenance of the roadside verge at a location (details supplied); his plans to remove the large trees which pose a significant danger to the residents of an estate; the timeframe for the removal of these trees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28601/16]
View answerWicklow County Council is the relevant road authority in respect of the location concerned.
Section 70 of the Roads Act 1993 sets out the responsibility of landowners to take all reasonable steps to ensure that trees, hedges are other vegetation growing on their land are not, or could not become, a danger to people using a public road and or interfere with the safe use of a public road or the maintenance of a public road.
This section also allows the relevant road authority to step in where a landowner fails or is unable to take action to remedy a hazard. In the cases of trees on land taken in charge by local authorities, it is for the local authority concerned to assess the position and decide the appropriate action to take.
