Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 March 2021
312. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to a request to extend the hedge cutting ban until 17 March 2021, to take account of the fact that Irish farmland has experienced a prolonged period of heavy rainfall during the months of January and February (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11972/21]
View answerThe dates for the cutting of hedges are set down in primary legislation. Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts Act prohibits the cutting of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August. I do not have the discretion to extend this period into March.
There is provision in the legislation for certain exemptions in respect of cutting vegetation in the ordinary course of agriculture or forestry, for health and safety reasons, the destruction of noxious weeds and for cutting roadside hedges for road safety reasons.
As the dates are set out in primary legislation, I have no power or discretion to vary these dates; the season may only be extended by primary legislation enacted by the Oireachtas.
