Madam, – Well done Stephen Collins for identifying the patent conflict of interest that Minister for the Environment John Gormley ensured he would face in relation to the Poolbeg incineration project once he demanded, and got, the Environment portfolio (Opinion, June 26th). We appear to have a Minister hell-bent on costing this country a fortune in lawsuits that will inevitably be lost, just so he can look his own electors in the face and say he stood firm.
The fact that he is standing firm against all of the machinery this State has put in place to vet such projects is irrelevant. What are many millions of taxpayers’ euro when it comes to ensuring we all live our lives in accordance with the Minister’s personal principles and those of the Green Party? The Minister is about to cost this State more than many of the developers he roundly condemned for their profligacy. The difference is, he is still able to step back from the brink.
Should he fail to do so, he will cost the State millions knowingly. I’m not sure what amounts to treason in this modern age; perhaps the Attorney General might opine? Mr Collins is correct in suggesting that Minister Gormley should stand aside or be removed from office by the Taoiseach. We allegedly live in a democracy but, the longer the Minister remains in office, the more the State resembles an autocracy.
– Yours, etc,