Biodiversity group reiterates call for new law after senator welcomes plan to clear river vegetation

Senator Mark Daly's tweet prompted a backlash from nature lovers, who said the vegetation is providing a natural defence for dispersing water

The tweet from Senator Mark Daly read: 'Encouraging news this morning as the OPW has informed me of additional funding for the Finnihy & Keelnagower rivers in Kenmare. The money will be used to clear vegetation along the river banks'. Picture via @SenatorMarkDaly on Twitter

Biodiversity campaigners have repeated calls for a complete overhaul of the maintenance of rivers and their surroundings, saying current legislation is completed outdated and unfit for purpose.

The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) and a range of other groups hit out at Seanad chair Mark Daly after he posted a picture of Cromwell's Bridge on the Finnihy river in Kenmare on his Twitter account, saying the Office of Public Works (OPW) has provided funding for vegetation to be cleared from the Finnihy river and the Keelnagower river.