Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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589. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has issued information to local authorities regarding hedge cutting regulations and exemptions for road safety reasons to ensure consistency in the application of procedures across all local authorities as promised in the programme for Government; if not, when he will issue such information; the information that will be issued; if farmers have permission to carry out hedge cutting during the restricted period where road safety concerns exist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19271/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Responsibility for the regulation of hedgecutting is a matter for the Minister for Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht. Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts 1976 to 2012 prohibits the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August during the nesting and breeding season for birds and wildlife. The Department of Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht inserts annual notices in the main newspapers outlining the restrictions on the destruction of hedges and vegetation on uncultivated land from 1 March to 31 August. The most recent such notice issued on 1 March 2016.

I am supportive of the provisions in the Heritage Bill 2016 which was drafted following a comprehensive review of Section 40. The Bill included proposals for managed hedge cutting and burning at certain times within the existing closed period on a pilot two year basis. This legislation is not yet in force as it has not been passed by the Oireachtas. Accordingly, the current restrictions under Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts still apply.