Debate contribution: Tree Protection Bill: Second Stage
Debate contribution by Mr Peter McReynolds on .
- MLA
- Mr Peter McReynolds
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 21 September 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Tree Protection Bill: Second Stage
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5742658
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for her contribution so far. On her point, we need to constantly remember the expediency test — the risk that could be there for the felling of a tree. I am not aware that there are many TPOs across Northern Ireland. One thing that I have noticed in my consultations over the course of the past four years is the number of people — arboriculturists and tree officers — who have reached out to me for meetings in my constituency office, so I do not think that it will be an onerous duty. The RaISe research paper referred to a "modest" sum of money that would be required to enact this in the Bill. I absolutely do not think that it is going to be a huge sum of money. As I have referenced before, the skills exist, and, having met those people multiple times, I do not think that there are so few of them that the costs would be at such a premium as to financially ruin local councils.
Will the Member give way?
The expediency point is this: is the tree at risk of being felled? Say, for example, that construction work is taking place nearby or that the community is concerned that the tree is at risk. That decision is up to the local council officer who would call out to inspect it. Just because a TPO has been requested does not mean that it will be deemed expedient by the local council. Therefore, the TPO would not necessarily be applied.
259 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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