COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, March 11, 2019

QUESTION NO. 14

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

To ask the Chief Executive to present an update on the 2019 Tree Programme and in reporting will he confirm what efforts are being made to deal with calls from throughout the community where a particular Tree is deemed to be dangerous and in need of immediate attention and in that regard will he note that residents are unhappy when a reply is received referring the matter to a future Tree Programme and will he make a statement in respect of the matter.

REPLY:

In line with the Council's Tree Management Policy 2015-2020 "Living With Trees", the focus of all future Tree Maintenance Programmes is on entire roads or whole estates. The objective of this approach is to increase the efficiency and productivity of the tree maintenance crews and advance a proactive programme of cyclical pruning targeting priority locations where intervention is most needed and where it will yield greatest community benefit.

The application of this more strategic and planned approach to tree maintenance commenced in delivery of the 2016 Tree Maintenance Programme.  As a result, the efficiency of the Council’s tree maintenance operations has increased and public reaction has been generally positive.

In addition to the planned whole estate and road programme, reactive and emergency works will continue to be carried out on individually located trees as necessary in order to manage risks to the public.  An emergency is defined as a tree that is in immediate and present danger of collapse or causing an obstruction requiring urgent attention.  Emergency and reactive tree works will normally take priority over the planned programme of tree maintenance works in estates and it must be recognised that there is consequent impact on progress with the planned programme.

Currently the Council undertakes tree inspections primarily in response to requests for tree work. Each assessment involves an assessment of the tree’s health and condition, and identifies if any work is required, having regard also to any issues raised in an enquiry that has been received in relation to a specific tree.  Following inspection where it is identified that tree works are required, they are categorised and will be included for attention on the Councils Arboricultural Programme and be undertaken in accordance with a priority based system.

In advance of commencing works within an estate or road, a full survey of all trees at the location is carried out to inform the programme and scheduling of tree pruning.  As tree surveys are completed and in advance of works commencing in an estate or road, the locations and details of tree maintenance works to be carried out in each estate are published on the Council’s website. Where trees are located in close proximity to overhead electricity wires all works are scheduled for completion by an arborist suitably qualified in the skills of utility arboriculture and approved by the ESB.

The 2017-2019 Rolling Programme of Tree Maintenance is published on the Council’s website where it is can be accessed by elected members and members of the public and this three year tree maintenance programme was approved by the elected members.  The programme of works set for 2017 has been completed however some of the works scheduled for 2018 were not completed in the period.  These works have been carried over into 2019 and are currently being attended to.  It is intended that all works on the three year programme will be completed by the end of 2019 and that a further three year programme will then be presented to the Council for approval for the period 2020 to 2022. 

Complaints received from members of the public or by way of public representation are examined when received and those which refer to trees in a dangerous condition are given priority for inspection and response.  Where a tree is found to be in a dangerous condition an appropriate course of action is determined which is intended to resolve the matter.  If the tree is in imminent danger of falling or of losing branches then immediate action is taken.  In this regard the Council has engaged a specialist contractor to respond to trees which for one reason or another are deemed to be in a dangerous condition. 

It should be noted that in 2018 the Council pruned 2,012 trees on the annual maintenance programme and removed 1,163 trees.  These trees were all inspected prior to any work commencing, and in addition to this a further 3,147 trees were also inspected in connection with tree complaints, programmed works and unplanned works of one kind or another.  An increased provision in the budget for tree maintenance will enable the volume of work to be undertaken in 2019 to increase on that in previous years and in this regard it is expected that those trees which have been identified as problematic in the past will be scheduled for earlier maintenance than had been previously planned.