Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----comprising officials from my Department, to consider the submissions received and to report back to me with a range of proposals. The changes that are included in section 8 of the Bill, to be introduced on a pilot two year basis, will allow for a more managed approach to the vegetation management issues which regularly arise. The pilot measures include allowing managed hedge cutting, under strict criteria, during August to help ensure issues such as overgrown hedges impacting on roads can be tackled. Power will also be given to me, as Minister, to allow for controlled burning in certain areas around the country, to be specified by regulation, during March, should it be necessary, for example, due to adverse weather conditions. These two measures are designed to introduce a limited amount of flexibility to help with land management and to ensure that a fair and balanced system is in place, while ensuring the protection of biodiversity.

It is important to underline to the House these provisions will operate on a pilot basis for two years. I am keenly aware that we must ensure that these new provisions should not adversely impact upon our fauna and flora-----