Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

While I welcome the reviews the Minister referenced, will he indicate the timeline for their completion? I also welcome his comments on the changes in the CAP, which have been well flagged.

Under the EIA regulations that are in place, if one is removing a hedgerow with a length of 500 m or more or removing a field boundary, one must apply for screening, but there is otherwise no requirement to apply. This leaves out a lot of hedgerows straightaway and is a fundamental flaw in the current regulations. In the UK, there is an interim measure whereby the limit is 20 m rather than 500 m. I understand the Minister has the power to make the same reduction here. Notwithstanding the limitations of the rule, is there a sense of adherence to it? Could it be the case that many hedgerows that are greater than 500 m in length are being illegally removed? Has the Department done an analysis of illegal hedgerow removal?

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