“IF landowners would cut hedges and Council would tar roads, we’d have a great county,” a recent meeting of East Clare councillors was told.
The remarks were made by Councillor Pat Burke, on foot of two motions tabled before the Killaloe Municipal District on the issue of hedge cutting. The topic was brought up by cathaoirleach, Councillor Alan O’Callaghan and Councillor Joe Cooney.
Councillor O’Callaghan said overgrown hedges were a constant concern. “Great work has been done last year by Clare County Council and the farmers who took responsibility and there was a vast improvement last year,” he said.
“This year, it looks on the ground as if there’s a lot of regional roads that haven’t been done. Are the contractors there and fulfilling their duty? Are they coming when they’re called or putting it off? A push needs to be done. Some junctions are way behind.”
Councillor Cooney seconded the motion and proposed his own. “My concern is that junctions are done, but the problem is with the local and minor roads,” he said.
“Who is going to be responsible? People living on those roads are paying Local Property Tax (LPT), roads tax and whatever they have to pay. Some landowners are doing fantastic work, but others are not. Is it a waste of time writing to some landowners, I wonder? I’ve a feeling some just put the letter into the bin.”
Councillor Pat Burke backed both motions. “I noticed contractors over the last three mornings on roads around Whitegate, Mountshannon and Scariff and great work being done out there,” he said.
“The work done has to be acknowledged. Landowners have pride in their land and have an interest in road safety. The thing is that where one landowner will trim and manicure, the neighbouring landowner won’t. I don’t know that they must be thinking. It just beggars belief when one neighbour has done great work, the other doesn’t. We need a major culture change out there amongst landowners. If landowners would cut hedges and Council would tar roads, we’d have a great county.”
Councillor Pat Hayes said some routes are almost impassable due to overgrown vegetation.
“We’ve been having this discussion since I’ve been in here,” he said.
“Tree limbing is the issue in some places and not hedge cutting. Some wonderful work has been done. Most farmers and landowners are cutting, but there are rented out properties and some forestry where that’s not happening, it’s a kind of land that’s in no man’s land.
“Some of the roads are closed in places. It’s a challenge and risk to the safety of the people. The school bus routes used to be a priority and I don’t know why that’s fallen off the pecking order. There are heavy-duty busses on country by-ways. That creates a high risk to those traversing roads and kids in busses. I agree that some people put the letters from the Council in the bin and don’t look at them.”
Senior Executive Engineer Derek Troy told the meeting that all contractors are now on the ground, but that some had not been able to start on September 1.
“We will prioritise regional roads and other local roads of concern, including school bus routes,” he said. “We will identify roads that are dangerous. I don’t know if sending letters will achieve, but it’s our plan to prioritise roads within our budget, which is minimal.
When asked by Councillor O’Callaghan for clarity on the time-frame for completion of cutting, Mr Troy said it would, realistically, take around five weeks.