Following complaints by farmers and contractors, Minister Heather Humphreys promised to ease the cut-off point for hedge-cutting and burning of vegetation in December last.

In the proposed Heritage Bill 2016, the periods for hedge-cutting and burning of hill vegetation were to be extended by one month on a trial basis to make land management more practical.

Following the dissolution of the Dáil, however, these provisions were never passed.

Under the two-year pilot measure, hedge-cutting was to be given the green light one month earlier in 2016, on 1 August. The season for burning of hill scrub was also to be extended to include March.

Not practical

Farm organisations have been lobbying for years on the matter, claiming the current deadlines are not practical.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is reminding people that the Heritage Bill 2016 is not in force.

“The provisions in the Heritage Bill 2016, which include proposals for managed hedge-cutting and burning at certain times within the existing closed period on a pilot two-year basis, are not in force. This legislation has not been passed by the Oireachtas at this time. Accordingly, the current restrictions ... still apply,” the NPWS said.

Section 40 of the Wildlife Act 1976 restricts the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction by other means of vegetation growing on uncultivated land or in hedges or ditches during the nesting and breeding season for birds and wildlife from 1 March to 31 August.

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