The removal of 75-year-old trees in a Waterford estate was 'traumatic' for residents

A Dungarvan councillor has said that residents in Murphy’s Place were upset by the removal of trees that had been in the estate for 75 years.

Cllr Joe O’Riordan raised the issue at the September sitting of the Dungarvan-Lismore District Council.

He said the notice was issued on a Wednesday and the trees were removed the following Tuesday.

“It was very traumatic for some of the residents there that, in less than a week, the trees were gone.

“Just in the future, can we have more dialogue with the local residents. You know the trees were there for 75 years,” said Cllr O’Riordan.

Cllr Thomas Phelan agreed that the trees were taken up suddenly.

He said that while he had asked for a review at last month’s meeting, he expected that he would have been given an update before the work was carried out.

“We were kind of last to find out essentially, so it’s not ideal when councillors are the last to find out or are at least find out in any sort of constructive manner.

“It must be hard to keep us abreast of everything, but when it was brought up at a district meeting, I would have thought there would be some referral back to us,” said Cllr Phelan.

Director of Roads Gabriel Hynes said the trees had to be removed because they had damaged the footpath.

Repairing the footpath without removing the trees would have resulted in the new work being destroyed and that he thought that residents knew that.

“We will look at replacing trees there. I do accept the point of view on communications. 

"We would have agreed with you that we were going to do the work. 

"I would have thought it was obvious to the people there that the trees would have to go, but if there was a communication deficit there, I apologise for that, said Mr Hynes.

Cllr Pat Nugent asked when work would begin on the new footpath at Murphy’s Place.

Mr Hynes said preparatory work was underway with the removal of the trees.