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

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 reports from wildlife officers saying it is a very grey area which needs to be clarified. What I am trying to do here is bring clarification to the matter. If this amendment is not accepted, a person is obliged to remove unsafe growth or branches but is also prohibited from doing so. That is not fair to anybody because they are being told, on the one hand, they have to remove it and, on the other, they are being told they cannot do it.