Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Democracy was at work and everybody had their say. The Minister should have returned to the committee to discuss it. She should have shown some respect to those who were democratically elected by the people but she did not. She overruled them. She does not understand that while she lives in a land where there is tar, chip and plenty of concrete, we live in a rural environment and see the danger every day. Given that mothers try to cut hedges to get their car onto the road safely and be able to see left and right, something is seriously wrong. A grave injustice has been done to the people of rural Ireland. I do not refer to people butchering fields but rather about cutting roadside verges. It is a simple action that could have been taken on 1 August. The significant growth causes grave concern to the people of my constituency, who have been let down terribly by the Minister. Democracy in this country was kicked out the window.