Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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215. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce rules with regard to two neighbours living alongside each other in a built-up environment where they have hedges or trees growing on the boundary fence which may be encroaching or causing upset to their neighbour's property (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9549/15]

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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There is currently a civil remedy available concerning branches or roots of neighbouring trees encroaching on one’s property. The previous Minister of State for Housing and Planning wrote to the Minister for Justice on this issue in June 2012 to explore the possibility of providing a broader civil law remedy for affected parties. The Minister for Justice responded in July 2012 suggesting that disputes of this nature between neighbours could perhaps be more appropriately dealt with through mediation rather than through the Courts. I understand that the Department of Justice proposes to publish a Mediation Bill during 2015.