COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM / TEMPLEOGUE / FIRHOUSE / BOHERNABREENA AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

MOTION NO. 9

MOTION: Councillor Y. Collins

That this Council arranges to inspect and carry out appropriate works on the trees at or near (Address), as per attached photographs, which have become very overgrown and are towering over the houses such that residents are gravely concerned that branches or indeed the trees themselves could come down during storms or high winds potentially causing property damage/injury.

REPORT:

Willbrook Estate is not on the current Tree Maintenance Programme for 2023-2025 which was presented to and agreed at the area committee meetings late in 2022.  The trees in question however will be listed for inspection following which any works which are deemed as urgent will be tended to accordingly.  If urgent action is not considered to be necessary then the estate will be scheduled as part of the 2026-28 Tree Maintenance Programme. 

As per Section 6.16 of SDCCs ‘Living with Trees’ policy, the Council will not prune or fell a Council owned / managed tree because it is considered to be ‘too big’ or ‘too tall’. Residents may feel apprehensive about the size of a tree and consider it dangerous. However, trees are not dangerous just because they are perceived as tall, too big for their surroundings or move in the wind. Tree movement in high winds is natural and one of the ways they can withstand strong winds. Other problems would need to be shown for the Council to consider the tree to be dangerous.