Just 24 hedge cutting grants approved in Manorhamilton MD

Landowners urged to cut back and maintain hedges and trees along public roads,

placeholder image — Landowners urged to cut back and maintain hedges and trees along public roads,

Council needs to cut the hedges and bill the individual

There were just 26 hedge cutting grant applications in the Manorhamilton Municipal District and, of that, 24 were approved, councillors were told at the latest municipal district meeting.

The number was revealed after a motion put forward by Leitrim Cathaoirleach Cllr Justin Warnock who noted there are "3,300 farmers in Leitrim so if we divide that in three, there are around 1,100 in north Leitrim and if that's all the people who are taking up the grant, I don't know if it's a worthwhile exercise at all."

Leitrim County Council engineer Eric Gilroy said that 120 letters were sent out to landowners to cut their hedges.

Mr Gilroy noted that "it's not just 26 landowners; there would be a few in each application."

Cllr Frank Dolan said that "if we can ensure people cut their hedges, that's far more important; it's not a huge expense to cut hedges and the biggest issue is that people are ignoring the notices."

Cllr Padraig Fallon said that hedge cutting issues were a problem in the area "on an annual basis and every year we receive calls and it seems to be the same location every year."

He called on the public to avail of the hedge cutting grant which provides a grant of €75 per km of roadside hedge/overhanging trees to be attended to along the public road network.

Cllr Fallon said that where landowners refuse to cut their hedges, "the council needs to cut the hedges and bill the individual".

He concluded that there was "no excuse for not getting your hedges cut."

Cllr Felim Gurn, chairperson of the meeting, said that in some instances where hedge cutting was carried out, telephone and power lines were severed and noted that at one point, a school bus was unable to make its way down a road due to overgrown hedges.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Justin Warnock complimented the council and said he welcomed the fact that "now there is some money to get a hedge cut and follow the landowners after."

Cllr Sean McDermott said that while he welcomed the arrival of fibre broadband to the county, "some of the hedges that were cut and what was just left there; I think the council should go after them and make them tidy up; it's not safe."