Farmers' grants and owner's responsibility - Councillors talk hedge-cutting
Great council authority and potential farmers’ grants mentioned during hedge-cutting debate
The thorny issue of hedge cutting was discussed at September’s meeting of Donegal Municipal District, as councillors discussed possible initiatives or directions to encourage better hedge cutting near roads affected by uncut hedges.
Councillors were told that any ideas needed to be discussed at a “community level” and that a “workforce” was needed to administer any policy.
Whilst asking for updates from the Area Manager for Roads and Transportation, Mark Sweeney, the Donegal MD Cathaoirleach, Jimmy Brogan, said: “I read that some county councils offer a hedge-cutting grant for farmers. The grants are about €75 per 100 yards.
“Is there something that the council has looked at before? A hedge-cutting grant for farmers?
“I know some councils - Clare, Limerick, for example- pay the hedge-cutting grants for farmers. Is this something that the council has looked at before?”
Cllr Noel Jordan added: “Hedge cutting has become a huge talking point. We had, a number of years back in the MD, somebody working from the Roads Section, going out and approaching farmers about cutting them.
“I suggest that we go back to that model again because it did encourage a lot of farmers and landowners to cut their hedges.
“I found that when we had a person in place here, it did encourage landowners to cut their own hedges. At this time of year now, a lot of roads have the sides cut, but the heights have not, and they are growing like an arch. They will grow, and they will grow anyway.”
Cllr Niamh Kennedy suggested an area near Lough Eske was “particularly bad.”
She said: “It would be no harm to see that cut as well.”
In response, Sweeney stated: “You have all mentioned hedge cutting. The farmers' grant, we need to look into that. You need to discuss this at community level. You need to consider how that is manageable. If grants are being put out, you need to administer and check that. There is a whole workforce about that.
“There will be people we go back to again and again and again, unless you are going to take them to court. There is a whole workforce for that. Responsibility does rest with the landowner.”