Westmeath council chief 'not in favour of widespread tree removal'
There is a significant challenge posed by trees during times of severe storms, Westmeath Council chief executive Barry Kehoe has admitted – but he is not in favour of removing all trees from roadsides.
“We have to be nuanced what we need to do with our tree management policy,” he told councillors during a wide-ranging discussion on the after-effects of Storm Éowyn, adding that the issue was not a simple one to resolve.
Council staff have been working “for quite a while” on a tree management policy, he said, and that will address the issue of the trees that are in the possession and ownership of the council.
“Many of the trees that fell are trees that are in our possession and ownership, and they do require management,” he said, adding that, in his experience, a tree had to be managed over its entire life.
Mr Kehoe said he would pass on councillors' messages of thanks to staff, and he spoke to defend Uisce Éireann, which had received much criticism from local representatives.
He said the water management body’s staff had been working hard at restoring supplies, but they were dependent on power, and the water service consumes a huge amount of power.
“Practically every drop of water that comes through the tap has to be pumped at some point from its source to the tap that you discharge it from. And that takes huge energy, because water is a ton of weight per meter cubed, so that is massive consumption of energy.”
Mr Kehoe said there is to be a national review of the response to the storm and also a local review.
He said that, while trees have been lost, which includes a heritage loss, these can be replaced.
In terms of home heat he was of the view that, contrary to the suggestion of many councillors, putting in additional stoves and fossil fuel burning appliances was “probably not the solution”, and that backup generators were possibly a better option.
He also thanked all those volunteers who moved fallen trees and offered aid to neighbours, and undertook to relay to staff the thanks extended by the council members for the work done during the storm.
Director of Services, Jackie Finney, said those who have suffered hardship can seek assistance from the community welfare office, which has a humanitarian assistance scheme to provide financial assistance to people whose homes are damaged or flooded in severe weather events, and who are unable to meet the cost for essential needs.