Substantial number of Council callouts prompts tree-cutting calls

A local councillor has called on Mayo's five TDs to find the money to tackle overgrowing trees that are causing havoc during weather events such as the recent Storms Bert and Darragh.

Cllr John O'Hara told a meeting of Ballina Municipal District that falling trees represent a serious danger to the public.

"No council can afford to deal with the scale of this problem. We trim trees every year but they are growing five or six feet a year," he said.

He called on national representatives to seek funding to deal with this issue, adding: "Our TDs need to sort this, we need money to sort this problem."

His comments came in response to a monthly report from the head of the district Declan Turnbull who said there were 16 callouts in the Ballina municipal district during November, a relatively high number for a single month and almost three times higher than the six recorded in November 2023. Most occurred as a result of Storm Bert.