COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, March 25, 2019

MOTION NO. 13

MOTION: Councillor C. McCann

To ask that this Committee prioritise the pruning of hazardous trees. I have requested on numerous occasions for tree's in Fernwood, Kingswood and Balrothery be pruned due to street lighting being covered, low branch's obstructing public pathways and large branch's breaking off due to high winds.

REPORT:

 South Dublin County Council operates a 3-year rolling programme of tree maintenance. In line with the Council's Tree Management Policy 2015-2020 "Living With Trees", the focus of the Tree Maintenance Programme is on entire roads or whole estates.

In addition to the planned whole estate and road programme, reactive and emergency works will 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 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 maintenance. The survey involves an assessment of each tree’s health and condition and identifies the maintenance required, if any. Trees may be pruned, removed or require no maintenance, as per the Council’s Tree Management Policy, as a result of this survey.

Since the commencemnt of the whole road/estate programme, the following work has been carried out in the Kingswood area

Kingswood Drive

Works complete

Sylvan Avenue

Works complete

Walnut Close

Works complete

Ashfield, Kingswood Heights

Works complete

Kingswood Heights -The Close & The Dale

Works complete

Sycamore Close

Works complete

Forest estate

Work in progress

Fernwood Park and Balrothery estate are listed on the Tree maintenance programme. Prior to any work taking place, all the trees will be surveyed to inform the maintenance programme.