COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM / TEMPLEOGUE / FIRHOUSE / BOHERNABREENA AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

QUESTION NO. 4

QUESTION: Councillor M. Lynch

Could the manager please comment on the request from Hermitage Residents Association, Rathfarnham for tree pruning, planting and maintenance and advise what plans are in place for same. Request and information supplied in the attached documents.

REPLY:

Hermitage Estate was included in the last 3 year tree maintenance programme which ran for the period 2020 to 2022 with works carried out there in June 2021. Prior to those works taking place the trees within the estate were surveyed in January 2021, at that time any tree requiring maintenance work would have been identified and included in the upcoming programme of works.  Hermitage Estate has not been included on the current 3 year programme for the period 2023 to 2025 as was agreed at the meeting of the Rathfarnham / Templeogue / Firhouse / Bohernabreena area committee which was held in December 2022.  Any tree which has been identified as potentially dangerous on the report submitted by local residents will be examined and surveyed to establish it's current condition.

Hermitage Estate was also included in the tree planting programme which was carried out in 2021 with a total of 53 trees planted in the estate on that occasion. Hermitage therefore has not been included in the tree planting programme to be carried out over the winter period of 2023/2024 and which is being presented to this meeting of the area committee as a headed item report.  Hermitage Estate will however will be considered for inclusion on the 2024/2025 tree planting programme and the locations proposed by local residents as suitable for tree planting will be examined in this regard.  Trees planted by the Council are predominantly bare root unless larger species are required for which bare root trees are not practical. In cases where a tree dies from natural causes the contractor is obliged to replace it as part of their responsibilities under the contract.