Laois County Council slammed for 'leaving up dangerous trees' to fall in Storm Darragh

Following the aftermath of storm Darragh, Independent Laois County Councillor Ollie Clooney has slammed the Council for their lack of action in removing 'dangerous trees' that 'the dog on the street' knew would fall in stormy weather.

The Councillor's comments came after Independent Cllr James Kelly thanked Laois County Fire Service for their hard work during Storm Darragh.

"I want to thank all the staff in the Laois County Council Fire Service for their response to storm Darragh," Cllr Kelly said.

"There was great work done in the preparation for it, and throughout it. There were approximately 90 trees down around the county over the weekend, so well done to them all," he said.

"There was salting to be done, there was flooding and trees were down, so well done to all the staff in Laois County Council. It just goes to show that when we are needed, the Council will respond straight away," Cllr Kelly praised.

Pictured: Dashcam footage of trees down on the Old Dublin Road, Portlaoise following Storm Darragh 

Cllr Clooney seconded the commendations from Cllr Kelly, yet expressed his dissatisfaction at the lack of prior action.

"I just want to endorse what Cllr Kelly said about the work that was done. I'm not happy at all though with 90 trees down, that could have been 90 accidents," said Cllr Clooney.

"The trees that fell during storm Darragh, the dogs in the street knew they were going to fall. No one gives a damn. They were dangerous, and they were just left there to do damage. Something has to be done, and I would like a response from the director," he said.

"This has been going on for years, it's a grey area. There are dangerous trees overhanging, and they'll kill somebody. We have to sort out this whether it's on the landowner, or the Council. These trees cannot be allowed to stay on the roads," Cllr Clooney said.

"The storm was at night without that many people on the road, but if that storm had been during the day, people would chance their arm driving. Even if you had a lorry, some of the trees that fell around us would have wrecked it," he said. 

"There are dangerous trees overhanging the roads, waiting for a gust of wind. And we are going to have more storms, with climate change. And we are doing absolutely nothing. It beggars belief to me, I am not happy. There were days of cleanup works and wires down, and the trees are still left there with no survey carried out. 

"I certainly want action. Someone has to stand up here and do something about this, the talking is over. I want a survey carried out on all the roads, and to mark these trees," Cllr Clooney said.

Pictured: A tree and powerline blocking the R419 Portlaoise to Portarlington Road on Saturday, December 7.

Rathdowney Fine Gael Cllr John King gave his full support to Cllr Clooney's remarks. 

"I raised this issue at the November MD meeting. It's a serious cost to Laois County Council," Cllr King said.

"The fire crews going out to sort blocked roads. Landowners also have to stand up and be accountable. We have to enforce the law, there's no question about it."

Laois County Council Director of Services, Mr Donal Brennan, replied to Cllr Clooney's concerns.

"First of all, we have to acknowledge the work done by the crews who called out, both the road crews and the fire crews," said Mr Brennan.

"The county staff do the best they can within the law. In relation to the trees themselves, proactively cutting trees for fear they might fall, I'm not that sure about doing that.

"You can very much depend on which way the wind is going, and I know a tree by me fell down that I never would have thought would fall, it was just the wind direction that caused it," he said.

"We could end up cutting too many trees. I will speak with the Senior Engineer in the Roads Division to see what we can do to be more proactive towards trees in the roads that may be dangerous. 

"Our powers, as I said, fall under the hedge cutting notices of motion, which Councillors do bring to the attention of the Council engineer from time to time," Mr Brennan finished. 

Cllr Clooney was quick to respond to the Director's statements, addressing the wind direction.

"I'm still not happy. You are talking about wind directions- when you study wind directions and storms, you will see that 90% of the wind direction is south-west," Cllr Clooney said.

"If you have trees with the south-west behind them, they are dangerous trees. There's no need for surveys, or for this that and the other. If the tree is overhanging the road, with the south west wind behind it, that is a dangerous tree that will be blown out on to the road. 

The trees will only fall one way, they won't fall inwards. That's 90% of trees," Cllr Clooney finished.

This matter took place at the December sitting of Laois County Council's Borris-in-Ossory / Mountmellick Municipal District.