Leitrim councillor compares hedgecutting notice with a Christmas card
“You might as well send a Christmas card than a hedge cutting notice,” according to Cllr Paddy O’Rourke as he made the Council aware of a number of issues in the Ballinamore district with overgrown hedges at the recent Municipal District meeting.
The Fianna Fáil councillor said some landowners have been “giving the Council the run around for years” and he noted there are a “few repeat offenders.”
District Engineer, Darragh O’Boyle, said 350-400 hedgecutting notices were sent out this year and “the majority will cut their hedges.”
He said in his time as a council engineer, the local authority only brought two prosecutions. Some councillors said the local authority should “aggressively follow up” hedge cutting notices, but Mr O’Boyle said “we can’t just target forestry companies, 10% of offenders are forestry and 90% are private citizens.”
Cllr O’Rourke also stated that people should be informed that a saw is needed when hedgecutting.
Independent councillor, Gerry Dolan said the guidelines in Cavan is 4 foot height along the road. The councillors were told this would need to be agreed at a SPC meeting.