Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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1394. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action that will be taken in relation to the felling of many acres of mature native trees in Cork recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59225/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I refer the deputy to previously answered PQ Ref No 58595/25.

My Department received a report on 16th July 2025 from the National Parks and Wildlife Service of a large-scale reclamation of private land in Rathcoole, County Cork. The report received detailed an alleged breach of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) Regulations. The site comprised a network of fields separated by extensive hedging.

The incident involved the alleged removal of a network of hedgerows and the reclamation of semi-natural areas and not mature forest. My officials carried out site visits.

My Department is currently in the process of implementing the next stage of the investigation in accordance with the EIA (Agriculture) Regulations.