COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM / TEMPLEOGUE / FIRHOUSE / BOHERNABREENA AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, September 12, 2023

QUESTION NO.1

QUESTION: Councillor C. Bailey

To ask the Manager to provide a report to understand the decision to prune trees in the Temple Manor Estate during nesting season, whether this was carried out by a contractor or by SDCC crews directly and how it was decided which trees would be pruned.

REPLY:

The Council carries out a programme of tree maintenance all year round to ensure public safety and minimise tree hazards in line with the Councils Tree Management Policy. The Council’s tree maintenance crews or contractors engaged by the Council, are required to thoroughly check trees for nesting birds during the nesting period (1 March - 31 August) and take appropriate measures to prevent disturbance prior to the commencement of routine works. This is in line with the Wildlife Act 1976 (as amended in 2000), the principle legislation protecting nesting birds in Ireland.  Prior to any works commencing in Temple Manor Estate a full survey of all trees was carried out to inform the programme of the level of work required and to check for the presence of nesting birds.  The Council’s tree crew carried out works in Temple Manor Estate in June 2023 as per recommendations made by arborists who surveyed the estate. Where a tree was found to have nesting birds present it was left untouched, such trees will now be returned to for completion of the maintenance programme and this will take place during the period September 1st to February 28th.