A Kerry County Councillor says fines may need to be issued to landowners who fail to cut their roadside hedges.
Kerry Independent Alliance councillor John O'Donoghue says the system of issuing property owners with letters telling them to cut their hedges is being widely ignored.
The Road Safety Authority has called on landowners to cut hedgerows by the end of this month to ensure they're not causing a road safety hazard.
Under the Wildlife Act, hedge cutting is prohibited from March 1st to August 31st, except in cases where overgrowth poses a road safety hazard.
Currently under the Roads Act 1993 (section 70) there’s a statutory obligation on all landowners/occupiers to ensure that roadside structures or other vegetation do not present a danger; failure to comply can result in fines of up to €5,000 and/or up to six months imprisonment.
Cllr John O’Donoghue says the current enforcement is taking too long.
Once a complaint is made to the council, then a letter is issued to the landowner/occupier giving them three weeks to cut the hedges; if they fail to do so, a follow-up letter is issued giving them a further two weeks to comply or the council will cut it and will issue landowner/occupier with bill.
Cllr O’Donoghue says this process is too long and can often result in the cutting season closing without the hedges being cut.
He feels fines may need to be issued quicker if hedges aren’t cut before the season closes:
