Cut down all roadside trees to save lives
CLLR LARRY O’BRIEN called for all road side trees in the New Ross district to be cut in the wake of four deaths nationwide during Storm Ophelia.
The matter arose during a discussion about overgrown hedges on narrow country roads around the district. Cathaoirleach Cllr Willie Fitzharris asked if the council’s ground team can act as observers.
Cllr O’Brien said four people died during the storm who shouldn’t have died because of trees.
‘ Trees should be cut. You might say they are gorgeous but trees are killers. They should be well back in (from the road). There should be no massive trees on any road. Along a motorway you won’t see any trees. What’s more important to see a tree growing at the side of a road, or to save someone’s life.’
Cllr John Fleming said the problem is so bad that the council should start sticking yellow notices on trees to be cut down. Executive Engineer Abraham Dunne said the council has been proactive in notifying farmers informing them that they need to cut their hedges. ‘16 land owners have cut their hedges. We brought in a tree surgeon for Cherry’s Road. It’s hard for our staff to say which tree is dangerous barring there is a hanging branch.’
‘I put my arms under a tree it was so wide just after the storm,’ Cllr O’Brien said.
‘ Tree hugger!’ declared Cllr John Fleming.
‘We have spent 20 minutes on dead wood,’ Cllr Michael Sheehan said.
Cllr Michael Whelan said a certin time of year should be dedicated to hedge cutting.