Sir, - I was astounded to see a picture on the back page of the Weekend Supplement (September 28th) of Fianna Fail's Ray Burke releasing hundreds of gas filled balloons at an anti nuclear event organised by Ogra Fianna Fail. If such an event is to do with saving the environment. do these people not realise that, by their actions, they are damaging the same environment which they profess to protect?
When these balloons reach the stratosphere and subsequently burst, they don't just disappear. Their remnants float earthwards (or, in most cases, seawards) and float on the surface of the water, waiting for a seabird or fish to espy what it perceives to be a brightly coloured, tasty morsel. This piece of impervious rubber is then ingested, to wrap itself around the gut of the hapless creature, which dies.
By their "environmentally conscious" actions, Ogra Fianna Fail may have done as much disservice to wildlife as the oil spill which has caused such indignation recently. If this same organisation, as its name suggests, is the Fianna Fail of the future, then God help us. Yours, etc.,
Castle Avenue,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3