[Greengage]

Looks like all the Dublin 4 ecologists are marching tomorrow. to object to the heritage bill specific section 8. and some want all section 3 the wildlife removed but they have no suggestion what to repalce it with. these amendements are subject to regulations.
it has gone through first stage and committe stage and not much from anyone except Birdwatch ireland and An Taisce ( They are against everything anyway) Tomorrow i believe is the final stage it is sponsored by Senator Mauriice Cummins on behalf of the minister.
I for one cant get exercised over it as I cannot see any big changes from whats going on at the moment. Its a trial period anyone out on farmland up to now will know machinery cannot access it as ground still very wet.
Numerous organisations joining in for the publicity and the horse has bolted.
If it rains lets see how many turn up,
Iam in favour of thre proposed changes. That has got me in trouble already with the Beekeepers who are all scientiests and Biodiversity experts overnight.

[Greengage]

Should have added this/
http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=30626&&CatID=59&StartDate=01%20January%202016&OrderAscending=0
http://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/bills28/bills/2016/216/b216s-memo.pdf

[Blowin]

Is there really any point in them passing a law? No-one will enforce it.

[Greengage]

That's a relevant point. Major shortage of staff and Guards would not have a clue in relation to wildlife sure they cannot implement a dog licence or a light on your bike. Whats the difference between a hedgerow and a hedge.I notice that the Heritage council will see a reduction in numbers.
Also its hard to see a government falling on this issue.
There are bigger fish to catch and the local BIFFO ( I can use that term as I am an honorary member) has thrown his oar in to settle a family feud now there could be a bigger problem. Simon may not lead and Enda may have to carry the can, exciting times its the little things that trip you up.

[Blowin]

As a total outsider I find it quite understandable, yet equally unfortunate, that the law fails so often in Ireland? For something like six centuries 'authority' was the British, and the native Irish survived by using their wits and disobeying the law as much as possible. That's the understandable bit, but the unfortunate side is that, now that Ireland's making its own laws, it still works on flouting them where possible and the Garddai are a bit too aware of the system.

[Greengage]

Still cannot find out if it passed or not. After all the publicity it got from the eco warriors and enviormental groups they didnt even muster enough adult people to block the gate. Still to many armchair warriors, I could have warned them when you lead people up the hill the generals are never there.
What had Curlew and Brent geese got to do with hedgerows.

[tagwex]

I saw Wexford County Council employees cutting back roadside hedging yesterday on the N11. Two days after the deadline.

[Blowin]

There you go, Tagwex. Isn't it the responsibility of the land owner (by law) to clear the roadside back x yards? But they stick up the requisite two fingers, nobody does anything about it, and the general public then pick up the tab by sending out the councils (that we all pay for) to do the job.

[tagwex]

I am not sure but I think on National Primary Roads/motorways the councils have to do the work. Think Health and Safety.

[Sue Deacon]

Living in the North, not sure about the hoo-ha you are on about. But the hedge-cutting comments made me sit up and take notice.

Don't know about anywhere else but Fermanagh seems to have gone totally overboard recently in regards to hedge butchery! Miles of hedgerows are being felled - trees and all, and the mess is left in the fields. They must be getting a grant for it!

There were some lovely hedgerows on the shore road that in the Summer were full of honeysuckle and several species of roses - all gone!

Even more annoying when you think that people can't get planning permission because of line-of sight issues. One rule for government and a different one for the Plebs.

[Greengage]

Looks like the bill was defeated for now.
The IFA are a powerful organisation and they will be back.
Also the EU nature laws have been given a reprieve.
http://www.birdwatchireland.ie/Publications/eWings/eWingsIssue87December2016/HugepubliccampaignsavesEUnaturelaws/tabid/1576/Default.aspx

[Greengage]

Just when you think you know it all,
I read this
Invasive Species & Noxious Weeds
Ragwort, Thistle, Dock, Common Barberry, Male Wild Hop
and Wild Oat are noxious weeds under the Noxious Weeds
Act 1936
Invasive species include Rhododendron, Giant Hogweed,
Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam as well as the invading
hardwood species e.g. Hawthorn, briars, furze/gorse,
Elder and Willow.
This is from the Explanatory handbook for cross compliance for farmers page 54 also see page 53 Landscape features may be removed if a replacement hedge is planted in advance of removal.
https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/farmingschemesandpayments/crosscompliance/CrossComplianceHandbook130916.pdf
What Muppet writes this shite.
here something else for you to read in these wet conditions.
https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/farmingschemesandpayments/basicpaymentscheme/LandEligibility2015Booklet010515.pdf

[Sue Deacon]

Perhaps when I have a month or two I'll take a proper look at that! I would presume that similar laws and requirements operate this side of the border - but how much notice is paid to them, well that's another matter.

It's all very well to ban hedge cutting in the bird 'breeding season', but there is a corner of Fermanagh that is now devoid of nesting sites due to 'hedge' cutting done at the 'proper' time. I also wonder about the money farms receive for actual usable land. There is a long section of the shore road where the fields either side of the road are full of felled trees and brash - totally unusable!

Do the people who produce this bumpf have any connection to the land, or are they just desk-jockeys with an 'ology'?

[Greengage]

Yous will be outside any regulation relating to the EU so you can make up your own laws as yea wont be accountable to anyone.

[Sue Deacon]

That's what MIGHT happen in The future, not what's happening already!