Clare County Council is complementing its hedge cutting programme this autumn by facilitating landowners and community groups in maintaining hedgerows throughout County Clare, while adopting a management regime in keeping with biodiversity considerations.
The Community Hedge Cutting Grant Scheme, which was the first of its kind to be developed in Ireland when it was piloted in 2013, will see €25,000 being provided to cut hedges on the local road network over the coming autumn and winter.
Applications are being invited from communities and groups before September 30, 2025. Each application will be assessed and a grant of €50 per km of hedgerow will be paid, subject to certain conditions and available resources.
Clare County Council says the scheme will provide some financial assistance to communities and groups that undertake hedge cutting and the cutting of overhanging trees and will assist landowners in complying with their responsibilities under Section 70 of the Roads Act 1993.
Cyril Feeney, Senior Engineer, Clare County Council, said, “We are confident that this scheme, complemented by the Council’s ongoing hedge cutting programme, will be of benefit in dealing with this issue. Our objective is that by the start of the nesting season in March 2026, much of the worst affected local roads in the county will have greater capacity to accommodate the traffic that uses them, while sustainably managing hedgerows for biodiversity and wildlife.”
“The Roads Act 1993 states that growth coming from the roadside boundary or the land protected by the roadside boundary is the responsibility of the landowner,” added Mr. Feeney. “From a road safety point of view, it is important that this responsibility is acknowledged and embraced by roadside landowners. The Community Hedge Cutting Grant Scheme is intended to provide support to offset some of the costs associated with hedge cutting.”
Mr. Feeney continued, “The works will also take cognisance of the requirements of The Wildlife Act, having a particular regard to hedgerow management and nesting birds. We are urging that hedgerows be lightly trimmed to protect the structure of the hedgerows adopting a triangular A shape height on the hedgerows and to avoid overcutting too far into the hedgerows”
Application forms are available online here and from the offices of Clare County Council, Áras Contae an Chláir, New Road, Ennis.