Safety concerns raised around overgrowth on Tipperary river walk
Cllr Jim Ryan raised the issue at the June meeting of the Thurles MD
Speaking at the June meeting of Thurles Municipal District, Cllr Jim Ryan said he had received numerous complaints from members of the public about conditions along the River Walk behind the shopping centre.
"The overgrowth has got so bad now that if you weren't aware of it, you would think the vegetation was part of the footpath," he said.
"There's a danger there that somebody could fall into the river, so I'm just wondering, for safety reasons alone, could it not be cut back?"
Cllr Ryan acknowledged that biodiversity considerations are often cited as a reason for limiting vegetation clearance along the riverbank, but argued that public safety should take precedence in heavily used pedestrian areas.
"In some areas at the moment it's completely overgrown and I know the response I get back every time I raise it is in relation to biodiversity reasons why it can't be cut back," he said.
"I understand that for biodiversity reasons it can't be cut back completely, but I am wondering if, in the interests of health and safety, it could be cut back to a certain extent.
The councillor said he was not alone in hearing concerns from local residents.
"I know my fellow councillors are hearing the same concerns, so I'm asking that it be cut back for safety reasons," he said.
Responding to the issue, Tipperary County Council Biodiversity Officer Anne Marie Fleming said the council would be willing to examine the matter where health and safety concerns had been identified.
"Absolutely, if there is an issue with health and safety, we can look at it," Ms Fleming said.
The concerns are the latest in a series of issues raised about the condition of the River Suir in Thurles.
At the May meeting of Thurles Municipal District, Cllr Kay Cahill Skehan described the river as "a huge problem" for the town and said its condition regularly attracted criticism from members of the public.
"As water levels start dropping, it is something that people comment to us about as we go around the town because of how bad the river looks," she said.
She added: "As you walk through the town, the river is an eyesore."
The issue also comes just months after Thurles TD Michael Lowry and Cllr Micheál Lowry announced they were preparing a submission in support of river maintenance works.
Earlier this year, Tipperary County Council received an allocation of €150,000 to undertake minor works aimed at removing blockages and improving water flow along sections of the River Suir.