Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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108. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the current time limits for hedge cutting and any changes that were made in recent times; the dates that will apply for 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33095/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts 1976, as amended, prohibits the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August.

Following a review of Section 40, which involved, inter alia, consideration of submissions from interested parties, I announced proposals in December 2015 to introduce legislation to allow for managed hedge cutting and burning at certain times within the existing closed period on a pilot two year basis. The legislation required to allow for these pilot measures was included in the Heritage Bill 2016, which was published in January 2016 and subsequently completed Second Stage in Seanad Éireann.

It is proposed to commence Committee Stage of the Bill in Seanad Éireann on 9 November. In the meantime, the existing provisions relating to Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts are still in operation.