Trees in council estates around Portlaoise will be pruned when funding is available

LAOIS County Council will prioritize trees in local authority housing estates around Portlaoise that require pruning, when it has funding to do so.

So, the Cathaoirleach of Portlaoise Municipal District Council cllr Willie Aird was informed at the October district council meeting when he sought for such work to be carried out.

He was also informed by the acting Director of Services Paul McLoughlin: “Given the frequency of such requests, which is as a result of a number of maturing estates in Portlaoise town, provision will have to be made for an appropriate budget for such works as part of the budgetary process for 2025 and beyond.” 

Cathaoirleach Aird said that all councillors are getting requests for trees to be pruned in estates around the town.

He said: “This (overgrowing tree issue) is going back to the time when a special order came out from the department to do with planning and that in each case where local authorities were granting planning permission that there had to be so many trees planted in estates, like ten or 12 feet apart. Now we have a whole lot of them merging together.

“Every estate needs to get so many done. There’s the household charge (Local Property Tax) that is being paid by the people in these estates. They are entitled to see some response for that money they pay. I’m asking that you (council) put a plan in place as soon as you can to ensure that it’s done.” 

In seconding the motion cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley said: “A month ago I had a similar motion down for Esker Hills. I know the council had done a job a year ago in Esker Hills, but the trees are just growing back wild. Once they get out of control residents’ associations can’t even bring them under control.

“While I support this motion, I would also ask that the council look at the private estates that are not taken in charge. My own estate for example is one. I’m living there 15-years and the trees have never been trimmed back. That comes down to the developer and I’d ask that the council look at that in terms of enforcement.” 

She said that while it’s great the council can carry out such tree pruning work in its own estates, “I think we’d need to ensure that the estates not taken in charge are not forgotten about either.”