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

During the passage of this legislation through the House I have stated on a number of occasions that the intention of the provision under section 8(2) is to allow hedge trimming to take place in the month of August on roadsides and that the trimming will only be of the current year's growth and not involve the use of heavy flails. If a person needs to carry out heavier cutting of hedges such as grubbing and flailing, he or she must do so during the current permitted period between September and the end of February. Therefore, I propose in the amendment to section 8(2) to delete the provisions relating to grubbing and destroying and confine the activity to the cutting of vegetation in hedges and ditches on roadsides in the month of August. The regulations which my Department will produce on foot of this provision will emphasise the fact that the destruction and grubbing of hedges is prohibited in the month of August. My amendment is similar to amendment No. 54 which has been proposed by a number of Senators. In fact, it strengthens the language of the Bill and makes it clear that any cutting in the month of August can only happen on foot of and in accordance with regulations to be made by the Minister. I ask Senators to support it.