Cork TD warns dead ash trees pose ‘serious risk’ to road users

A Cork TD has warned of potential road accidents as a result of dead trees, urging the Government and local authorities to intervene on the issue.

Speaking in the Dáil, Fine Gael TD for Cork East, David Stanton, said the countryside “is full of dead ash trees, many of which are by roadsides”.

“Last winter, I saw that a number of them had fallen down under heavy winds, storms, and so on. This posed serious risk to people using the roadways.

“Since then, I have noticed many more of them around the country. One can see the dead trees in the hedgerows with the other trees. They are extraordinarily dangerous.”

Guide

He mentioned a guide published in 2021 by the Department of Agriculture for landowners to manage roadside trees, saying it clearly stated that dead trees should be felled.

“If a tree falls down on a road at night, someone could drive into it. I do not want to be here next winter bemoaning the fact that action was not taken and awareness was not raised on this issue,” he said.

“I do not want to be here, or someone else to be here, asking why we did not raise awareness or why the local authorities did not take action; identify the trees and contact the landowners to tell them it is their responsibility to take down these trees.”

He requested that the Government instruct local authorities to carry out surveys and if trees are found that are obviously dead and could easily fall in a gale, then notify the landowner that they have to be removed.

Landowner

A Cork County Council spokesperson told The Echo: “Cork County Council’s position would be that the management of trees on private property is the responsibility of the landowner under the 1993 Roads Act.

“There are no plans to carry out surveys of existing trees bordering public roads as they are generally on private land. It would not be appropriate to carry out same unless formal instructions are issued to local authorities by central Government.

“Local authorities certainly wouldn’t have the resources to undertake the task currently.”