Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This is a practical issue which is crying out for legislation. An aggrieved person, namely, someone residing adjacent to a property with an excessively high tree or hedge, does not have legal recourse if the owner of the adjoining property refuses to co-operate and behave like a good neighbour. If a law is not in place to provide assistance in such circumstances, we should do everything in our power to help. Legislation would be worthwhile if, God forbid, it helped to save a person's life five or ten years from now. We owe the petitioners a debt of gratitude for bringing this matter to public attention. How many people are putting up with this problem rather than broaching the subject with a neighbour with whom they may be friends? I am fully in favour of taking action to provide some assistance in these cases. I support the proposal to refer the matter to the Minister.