Waterford roads need to be improved before ATN 2026

Hedges on roadsides in rural Waterford need improvement, local councillors have said this week.

At this month's Comeragh District Meeting, elected members questioned current legislation, which outlines that landowners can only cut hedges between September 1 and the end of February.

Implemented by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the restriction is in place to protect bird life during the nesting season and to protect vegetation and wildlife habitats during the months of growth and reproduction.

"To my mind I'll never know why that act was passed, because to me it hasn’t improved life for motorists, cyclists or pedestrians," Cllr John O'Leary said.

"I think a change needs to come and we collectively as members of all parties need to approach our TDs about this. Until we do that, we’ll be bringing it up here continuously, time after time. The legislation has to be changed in Dáil Eireann."

Waterford Council Director of Services Gabriel Hynes said, however, that he believes the current hedge-cutting measures to be adequate.

"Environmentalists would argue that it's important to have that restricted season to ensure we don’t do harm to birds during the nesting season, and to allow adequate time for birds to hatch out and leave the nest. 

"My view is that the current hedge cutting season is adequate."

"The majority of landowners are in compliance. Where we have landowners who are not in compliance and not cutting their hedges, we will be proceeding to prosecution."

Meanwhile, Cllr Declan Clune said that hedges on roads adjacent to the All Together Now Festival need to be improved before next year's festival.

"The road from Salaheen up by the side of Curraghmore, that hasn’t been done for years. Although not an official route for ATN, it's extremely busy over the festival weekend.

"A lot of people even go up there for sightseeing because it looks right down over the whole concert venue in Curraghmore. It's something we need to get ahead of for next year and needs to get dealt with."

Senior management staff at Waterford Council informed Cllr Clune that hedge-cutting notices will be issued to landowners on that stretch of road.