COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE (2)

Monday, April 27, 2009

QUESTION NO. 5

QUESTION: Councillor E. Maloney

"To ask the Manager to support the work of local residents in their annual clean-up, by removing the over-grown hedges on the Old Ballycullen Road , beside Woodlawn Park Grove, Firhouse, and the cleaning of this littered area?"

REPLY:

The location has been inspected by the Parks & Landscape Services Department and the hedgerow will be listed for consideration for pruning works as part of next season’s Arboricultural Programme which will commence in November 2009. 

The Parks Department would not be in favour of any hedgerow removal in this area.  As per the Wildlife Act 1976, the Parks Department is not permitted to undertake maintenance works to hedgerows between March 1^st and August 31^st each year in the interests of wildlife protection.  Furthermore the EU Habitats Directive requires the protection of ‘green stepping stones’ or ‘green wildlife corridors’ as a vital biodiversity component of flora and fauna habitats particularly in urban areas.  To this end, open space hedgerows such as that which exist in this area play an important role in providing urban wildlife with native and natural sources of food, cover, shelter and nest sites.