Broadband contractor visits farmer after hedge-cutting concerns

A supervisor from the contracting company employed by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) was sent to visit a farmer, after the farmer raised concerns about hedges which had been cut without his knowledge.

In recent weeks, Denis O’Donnell, a sheep farmer from Carndonagh, Co Donegal, saw NBI contractors cutting back hedges adjoining his land and a public road.

O’Donnell, who owns the land on both sides of the road, said he has no problem with the broadband works being carried out in the area, but said he should have been contacted before the hedges were cut.

“There was no consultation and there is a fence running through that hedge. All that shaking doesn’t help the fence.

Protection

“You’re trying to protect hedges, do your best, and they come along and do what they want.

“There’s mountain ash in that hedge, which is particularly valuable for feeding birds in the winter time,” he said.

A spokesperson for NBI told the Irish Farmers Journal that it “has been assured by the contractor that they were not aware of the resident in question having concerns and they are sending a supervisor to the address to make contact and to address any complaints”.

It also said that to ensure an area where works are being carried out by contractors is safe, hedges or trees may need to be trimmed in advance.

Tree trimming

“Where tree trimming is deemed necessary adjacent to private property, NBI’s contractors will always try to contact the landowner before proceeding with tree trimming.

“NBI’s contractors will not enter private property without express permission from the landowner,” a spokesperson for NBI said.

After being contacted by the Irish Farmers Journal, NBI contractors carrying out the works visited the farmer and asked him to sign a permission agreement, which he was happy to do.