Results 23,921-23,940 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: The answer to Senator Humphrey's question is yes. The regulations will be laid before the Houses. The Wildlife Act, section 8(4) states that; it is not practice to lay regulations before a committee. They will go before both Houses and the primary legislation should not specify which committee.
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: Yes.
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: The limited scale of hedge cutting proposed is unlikely to have much impact due to the small scale of what I am proposing and because flowering is largely over by August.
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: The main forage for bees in August is undoubtedly heather, followed by herbaceous plants such as knapweed. The main hedgerow nectar resources would be provided earlier in the year by species such as willow, blackthorn and hawthorn. The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015 - 2020 was published in 2015 and includes a strategy to address pollinator decline and to protect pollination services on...
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: I said it will be taken into consideration in developing the regulations.
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: I cannot take the amendment on board but I have said clearly that I will take the recommendations in the pollinator plan into account when I develop the regulations.
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: Yes.
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: This matter was raised on Committee Stage. I was asked to bring the Wildlife Act into line with the Roads Act. The House is aware that there is a provision under section 72 of the Roads Act which obliges landowners to ensure a tree, a shrub, a hedge or other vegetation on their land is not a hazard to road safety. There is also a provision which allows a local authority to serve notices on...
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: It is reasonable-----
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: If a landowner-----
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: If a landowner cuts a roadside hedge during the prescribed period, other than for the purposes of dealing with road safety, or takes steps which are not reasonable then that person is guilty of an offence under the wildlife legislation. This amendment seeks nothing more than to introduce certainty and avoid confusion. The conflict has been identified to my Department. There have been...
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: Nothing-----
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: Nothing we can do here will change the obligations under the Roads Act which apply all year round. All we are seeking to do is to remove the conflict which says one must deal with safety issues but at the same time during the closed period one cannot. The Roads Act is saying one must do something with a particular branch because it is hanging out on the road, it is dangerous and will cause...
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: -----confusion and conflict has existed for nearly 25 years does not mean we should ignore the issue forever. Regional staff of the NPWS of my Department have had difficulties in understanding where they stand when dealing with issues they come across in pursuing their duty. It has been brought to my attention that they cannot enforce the law because they are unsure where they stand. To...
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: Excuse me.
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: What I am trying to do here is regulate and change this to make sure it is in compliance with the Roads Act. It should not interfere with any other part except when there is a hazardous danger. It is very clear what a hazardous danger is.
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: What I am going to say here------
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: I want to be very clear. I am not trying to ruin all the hedges in the country. The legislation refers to trimming back one season's growth on the side of the road. This relates to the side of the road. It does not relate to every hedge in the country. It is the side of the road.
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: What I am saying is-----
- Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Apr 2017)
Heather Humphreys: If there is a tree hanging out over the road that will cause an accident, please do not put an individual, whether it is a farmer or landowner, in the awful position where, on the one hand, he or she has to comply with the Roads Act and, on the other hand, he or she is contravening the Wildlife Act. That is all I am trying to do. This idea that I am trying to sneak something in to allow...