Strategy needed to tackle ivy on trees and ash dieback - Mayo councillor

A STRATEGY is needed to tackle ivy on trees and also ash dieback along roadways.

Dangerous trees were highlighted by Councillor John O'Hara in a motion before Mayo County Council.

Access is being restricted by trees over-arching, affecting emergency services, and then there are trees coming down in storms.

Ivy growing on trees needs to be addressed, Councillor O'Hara continued. Every tree with it is dying, he stressed.

Ash dieback is also an issue in the county.

Councillor O'Hara suggested a committee be set up to tackle the matter and come up with a strategy.

Chief executive Kevin Kelly said trees on private lands are the responsibility of land owners.

On ash dieback, they would support an overall initiative but ideally it has to be a national scheme to address the issue. It wasn't something as a local authority that they could take on themselves.