Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Fianna Fáil supports the main objective of this Bill. I endorse what Deputy Thomas Byrne said about bringing together the various interest groups as the Bill progresses.

I compliment the many custodians of our countryside, including environmental groups such as BirdWatch Ireland, An Taisce, the Irish Wildlife Trust or the Hedge Laying Association of Ireland, together with many environmental enthusiasts such as the 880 Tidy Towns groups which manage the issue of biodiversity in many of our towns and villages. I especially compliment those in the agriculture sector who have for generations endeavoured to achieve a balance between food production and wildlife protection coupled with more recent and ever-growing problems associated with road safety.

There is no doubt that the increase of vehicular traffic in our countryside, larger vehicular widths and the population growth, which has created an upsurge in walking, cycling and participation in rural pursuits, have added to the vexatious issue of when it is appropriate to trim roadside hedges. Added to all of this is the issue of climate change, which is beginning to change the traditional seasons of growth. That, along with additional heat and moisture, has seen unprecedented growth of roadside verges and hedgerows.

Many views are being obstructed, and the onus of liability seems to fall increasingly on those in the agricultural sector to ensure that their property is not the cause of litigation. In addition as a result of Storm Ophelia and previous storms, there has been a call to denude our roadsides of the trees that are just as important as our hedgerows. Many of us are aware that for a person owning land on either side of a public road, effectively the roadway is part of the landowner’s portfolio and inevitably will give rise to litigation in time to come. Equally a person owning only one side owns to the centre of the road.

The Heritage Bill is about getting a balance between road safety and wildlife protection. Anyone with roadside frontage is very aware of achieving this balance. I compliment those in the agriculture sector who have been the real custodians of our wildlife for generations.

The hedgerows along many of our rural roads need trimming back beyond what the current legislation allows. All we need to do is talk to those who jog, cycle or walk on these roads, not to mention those who drive trucks. Reference has already been made to the damage being done to protruding mirrors. In getting that balance right we need to protect the interests of human life without compromising the wildlife living in those hedgerows. The 187 tragic road fatalities in 2016 represented a 15% increase on the previous year, which speaks to issues relating to protection of our hedgerows. It is about getting the balance between wildlife protection and the safety of those who use our roads.

Regarding road safety concerns, most farmers who avail of schemes such as GLAS will employ environmental planners in order to effect that plan. I have had personal experience with both the previous REP scheme and the current GLAS where in the development of the plan, the planner indicated from a road safety point of view the need for hedgerows to be trimmed outside the season, and that was then accepted by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. While people have talked about the local authorities having responsibility for the roadsides, the reality is that most local authorities do not cut any hedges except at junctions and ultimately those in the agricultural community get hedge-cutting notices. It is trying to get a balance between that road safety issue and wildlife.

Without over-complicating the system of EU grant aid, there is a method there in order for the whole issue to be legalised without necessarily interfering with our wildlife to any degree. We all have to survive and food production is equally important. The bees and the birds obviously help with growth and propagation. For the agricultural sector to survive, that balance can be achieved.

I welcome that the Bill provides for a review in two years. The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. If people do not subscribe to the balance that I support, it can always be reviewed.

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