Farmer who uprooted 250 trees to be sentenced in January

A farmer who knocked down and uprooted 250 trees will be sentenced in January.

Daniel Finn, who is in his 70s and from Tevenie, Dromina, Charleville Co Cork, had a prosecution taken against him by the Minister for Housing, Local Government Heritage.

Clare Deasy, a national Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) conservation warden, previously told Mallow District Court that she visited the impacted site at Stream Hill in Doneraile, Co Cork on 27 April.

Ms Deasy said that around 250 mature and semi mature trees had been knocked and uprooted in an area adjacent to the Ballyhoura Mountains Special Area of Conservation.

She told Judge Colm Roberts that a combined total of 3.7 hectares of vegetation, including scrub and trees, had been removed from the site. Significant destruction had also been caused to an aquatic and fisheries habitat in a watercourse known to support salmonids.

Ms Deasy said that a significant amount of hedgerow was also removed in addition to the destruction of 350m of rivers habitat along the banks of the stream.

She said that Mr Finn claimed that he was "improving the land for agriculture".

She added that it could take "a hundred years" to replace the trees destroyed by Mr Finn.

Finn pleaded guilty to committing the offences, which are contrary to the Wildlife Act of 1976, on a period between 1 March and 31 August, 2023.

Defence solicitor Marie Ford said that her client had entered a guilty plea and was cognisant of "the extent and seriousness of the matter".

She said that Finn had expressed a willingness to make a donation to a wildlife charity to show his remorse for his actions.

Judge Roberts asked if Finn said that the donation would have to be significant in nature and exceed the maximum fine in the case, which totals €10,000.

"The damage (is such here) that it it isn't even estimable. He (Finn) has to think 'do I want to be remembered as an environmental terrorist or someone who made a mistake and wants to fix it?'

"This is barbarism and the damage is almost delinquent."

Judge Roberts previously adjourned the case for finalisation today.

He said that he expected to be given an "extensive proposal" in relation to the proposed charity donation.

He warned that if the donation amount offered failed to be "serious and significant" a conviction would follow.