A civil war has erupted in West Clare over the treatment of road verges and hedging, with half of the population insisting that they are cut and the other half determined that they be left alone. A number of councillors urged the local Clare County Council to increase the level of hedge cutting at this week’s first meeting of the newly elected West Clare Municipal District. However, councillor were warned that any attempt to cut hedging outside of the legal season would lead to a barrage of emails from constituents who would labelling the local authority as “environmental vandals”. It is currently illegal to cut or destroy hedges in Ireland between March 1 and August 31, to protect vulnerable nature such as nesting birds. However, exceptions are allowed in areas where the safety of motorists is in question. A spokesperson from Clare County Council also said that the ultimate responsibility for maintaining the hedges lay with the landowners and that …
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