*Photograph: Joe Buckley
APPOINTING one tree contractor for the entire Shannon Municipal District is insufficient, a county councillor has claimed.
An urgent appeal for the Shannon MD to appoint a tree contractor was made by Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND) “to carry out essential work on trees throughout the area”.
Trees causing “health and safety concerns” referenced included the mini-roundabout on Drumgeely Rd and adjacent to the green area near Tola Park, trees within the Cul na Greine estate, Tullyvarraga Rd near Gleann na Smol, Corrib Drive, the Oasis Garden and Ballycasey Area.
Flynn flagged, “the window of opportunity to carry out this work due to conservation issues and the nesting season is very small and needs to be adhered to by the Council”.
🗳️Get informed before casting your vote in June's Local Election by checking out The Clare Echo's new political podcast. This and our new political series will be released next week.
🎙️Here’s our Head of News & Sport, Páraic McMahon with the details.
📲https://t.co/2fl5aNSLxV pic.twitter.com/xnbhVb5aBK
— The Clare Echo (@ClareEcho) March 14, 2024
Senior executive engineer in the Shannon MD, Tom Mellett confirmed that a contractor has been appointed by their office. “While the Wildlife Act limits the cutting season from March 1st to August 31st there are exceptional circumstances where trees can be limbed or removed during the nesting season where there is a road safety concern”.
Shannon Town based Cllr Flynn noted, “We’ve had a couple of incidents with trees heavily laden down with ivy, it is like a sail on a boat, the ivy is a contaminant and a big issue. The cutting season is from October to February”.
He added, “We only appoint one contractor for the entire Municipal District which isn’t enough, I will take this up at a county level, we need three or four contractors on our books”.
Acquiring chainsaws was suggested by Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) but Cllr Flynn remarked that the Council would not feel confident equipping their councillors with skills on how to use a chainsaw.
Seconding the proposal, Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) commented, “We have had people trying to take down branches on their own. The grass issue is gone but this has replaced it”. Cllr Flynn replied, “The grass isn’t going to kill you”. Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF) flagged that some of the roots of some trees are “so big that they grow in around lights”.
There is no reason as to why the Shannon MD cannot have three or four tree contractors, Cllr Flynn stressed. “Some officials have a reluctance to take out trees. Mary Considine and her team took out two large trees by the bank and worked in atrocious conditions to do it. Look at any tree out there, they are contaminated by ivy, their saturation means the next storm takes out more”.
