Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is important to echo the point the Minister has made to the effect that what is at issue is one year's growth.

We are not talking about heavy flails or heavy-machinery-type cutting or incision into hedges. I will set out why I wish to emphasise this point. A good neighbour of mine is a community activist in the town in which I live. He is a great person for local heritage causes, a wonderful person. He wrote to me with a concern that there was something akin to a major attack on the hedges that would amount almost to a removal of ditches in the month of August. I am happy to have a reassurance to bring back to that good citizen.

The Minister made a point but my good friend, Senator Alice-Mary Higgins, misunderstood the point made by the Minister. The Minister said that ideally hedges need a heavy cutting every three years.