Gardaí called to deal with hedge cutting during the close season

Gardaí were called to deal with people who cut hedges, it was claimed this week.

The controversial topic was aired at Tuesday's meeting of the Inishowen Municipal District in Carndonagh.

Under the Wildlife Acts, it is against the law to cut, burn or otherwise destroy vegetation including hedges between March 1 and August 31, but there are exemptions that allow hedge-cutting during the closed period in case of road safety concerns

Cllr Martin McDermot raised the issue saying he believed the deadline for cutting hedges was putting people's lives in danger.

"I have been contacted all summer over this. In one case the gardaí were even called to deal with a farmer who was cutting a hedge. It's farcical yet in other areas we can cut down whatever we want with no questions asked.

"You have to ask yourself the big question - who is running the show here? We have to take this back to whatever council Strategic Policy Committee this falls under, be it roads or environment, and the policy needs to be looked at especially when you have the gardaí called out to deal with farmers who are only trying to make the road safer for the general public. There needs to be some sort of flexibility."

He added he had received complaints from tourists who claimed they could not enjoy views of the coastline because the hedges were so high. The same applied to the Inishowen 100 route.

"You can't see the coast anymore, that was a selling point. You could see the coast, Portrush, Scotland or Inishtrahull Island but now it's absolutely grown over, particularly on the back roads. It's out of control," he claimed.

His call was backed up by Cllr Martin Farren who said he also felt lives were being put at risk.

"It's not working. It[hedge cutting] has started up and Inishowen will be looking a million dollars by the end of the month but that's no good as all the visitors will have gone home. This cannot continue. You can be fined €5,000 for hedge cutting. Communities who have gathered money to have their hedges cut come on to me but I tell them I can do nothing about it."

The meeting heard national regulations governing the hedge-cutting rules.