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Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan, today welcomed the passage of the Heritage Bill in Seanad Éireann. The Bill will now be sent for signature by President Michael D. Higgins.
Speaking today, the Minister said:

I welcome the passage of this Bill through its final stage in the Oireachtas. The provisions of the Bill have been the subject of comprehensive debate in both Houses of the Oireachtas and I am pleased that we can now move forward with the changes to the Board of the Heritage Council, which have been long awaited and will be welcomed by the Council.
I believe that the parts of the Bill which deal with the powers of Waterways Ireland will allow them to manage the canals better for the benefit of all users.
The provisions allowing the introduction of regulations for trimming one year’s growth on the road facing side of a hedge, on a pilot basis for two years during the month of August, strike a careful balance between the need for a robust conservation approach to our natural heritage, and the need to protect road safety.
The Bill will also ensure that landowners dealing with fallen trees or other hazards, which they are obliged to do under the Roads Act, are not in breach of the Wildlife Acts by doing so.