Tom Barry (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

While we were involved in REPS we did a good deal of internal hedging for existing hedges but we could not take down the boundary ditch. The boundary ditch could have been in a terrible mess and good farming practice would suggest striping it down and plant a proper hedge in its place which could be managed subsequently. Many boundary hedges are simply scrub, weeds and bushes but not proper hedges. However, if a farmer touched his boundary fence he would have been prosecuted under the REPS. I always took the view that we should have examined this. Generally, farmers can see the practicality of having a proper hedge which increases biodiversity and so on. Anyway, we need to examine it more closely.