Landowners 'need grant aid' to cut roadside trees

Councillors in the Ballina Municipal District have renewed calls for greater action and financial support to tackle dangerous overhanging and overgrown trees, warning of increasing safety risks for road users and residents as winter approaches.

Cllr John O’Hara tabled a motion at the September meeting, saying little progress had been made despite repeated discussions at municipal district level and concerns raised in the aftermath of Storm Éowyn in January 2025. He said the council had previously indicated it would trim back or remove trees posing a danger, but claimed that “nothing has been done” and that the situation is “getting more dangerous by the day".

Cllr O’Hara also said the danger became more evident after Storm Éowyn when councillors were asked to identify trees they believed posed a danger so the council could inspect them. However, he said the inspections did not take place. He also referred to correspondence from Minister of State for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture Niall Collins in response to a request from the Ballina Municipal District to introduce a grant-aid scheme to help farmers cut trees along roads.

Minister of State Collins said that "as a matter of law, the care and management of trees adjacent to roads is the responsibility of the landowner on whose land the roadside trees are growing” and outlined the legal position under Section 70 of the Roads Act 1993.

However, Cllr O'Hara argued that many farmers and landowners facing the problem were retired, living off their pension, and could not afford the cost of tree maintenance.

“They can barely live, never mind get someone in to cut the trees,” he said.  “It's no good getting this response coming from the Government. Telling us these are the rules of the land, you pay for your own. These people can’t pay for their own, and we need to put something in place.” ​ “Them trees are growing six feet every year, and they are getting heavier, wider and higher and more dangerous.

"They're 100ft high," he said, adding that people residing near these dangerous trees were "living in fear of them falling and coming down on top of the house".

Cllr O'Hara said a scheme allowing landowners to cut trees and subsequently apply for reimbursement would "make sense" and "make it safer for everyone".

“Sending out letters, that’s only b******t, sending out letters to people. They cannot afford it,” he said, adding that removing a line of large trees could cost in the region of €20,000.

His comments were supported by Cllr Marie Therese Duffy, who said overgrown and storm-damaged trees were also causing difficulties for motorists, especially HGVs and other large vehicles.

“The costs are ridiculously high for local authorities and for people to try and address. Now that nesting season is over, I think any overhanging or storm-damaged trees need to be addressed,” she said.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Annie May Reape agreed, noting that councillors had repeatedly been told by management and Government officials that dangerous trees intruding on public roads remain the responsibility of the landowner, but noted there was little help on offer for landowners dealing with the issue.

“As Cllr O’Hara said, the trees have grown so tall, they are growing wider and taller, we are forever trimming. It is a major problem,” she said.

The council's senior executive engineer Theresa Durkin said the local authority has contacted some landowners to address overgrown hedges and trees.

“It is hoped that works to the same will advance over the coming months in conjunction with the general hedge trimming programmе,” she said.

Correspondence from Minister Collins was issued in response to a motion passed by the Ballina Municipal District in June calling on the Minister for Agriculture to introduce a grant-aid scheme to assist farmers and landowners with roadside tree-cutting.

The Minister said his department does not provide funding for the removal of roadside trees but noted that guidance for landowners on managing roadside trees is available through the department.

• Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.