Sir, - I agree with Prof Frank Convery of UCD (The Irish Times, August 21st), on Ireland's environmental problems. I personally would go even further to say that Ireland is indeed "the dirty man of Europe".
Waste management and disposal problems are an ongoing controversy nationwide. The Avoca landfill dump in my locality is filled with dozens of truckloads of waste from south Dublin every day, a toxic monument to our throwaway consumer society.
My local TD and Minister for State, Joe Jacob, has regularly spoken out about the Sellafield nuclear plant and the dangers posed by its effluent in the Irish Sea. However, he ignores the fact that a pharmaceutical factory on his own doorstep pollutes the Avonmore River with its effluent on a regular basis.
The nearby Avoca River also stands as testament to Ireland's poor environmental record, having been named a few years ago as one of the worst polluted rivers in Europe.
Furthermore, the Government has done little to address the issue of water quality and the threat from agricultural pollution. Many of the nation's farmers allow ammonia and nitrates to leach into waterways, killing lakes and rivers, as I found out on a recent trip to Co Clare.
Some farmers, a local told me, even empty their slurry tanks straight into nearby lakes. This is discouraging high-spending angling tourism, affecting our economy as well as destroying our environment.
I was pleased to see that the Government now risks being taken to court by the EU, having ignored the problem for many years, despite mounting evidence from the Environmental Protection Agency highlighting the problem.
One would think that the recent generous economic growth of the Celtic Tiger would have allowed the necessary spending on measures to look after the environment. Ireland seems to have taken a leaf out of George Bush's book, ignoring protective measures that might cost industry, farmers or Government money in the short term, ignoring the inevitable long-term effects, many of which are to be seen already.
Sadly we have seen the recent proposal of a huge nationwide road-building programme, despite the fact that the country has a Third World rail service that is a national disgrace.
The Dublin to Belfast Enterprise train stands as an example that the rest of Iarnr≤d ╔ireann's services should follow. It seems that our Government would only improve these services if the British government footed most of the bill, as I believe happened with the Enterprise.
We have the privilege of living in a country with a beautiful natural environmental of scenic landscape and abundant wild life. It's a pity our lazy, self-obsessed Government doesn't do more to defend it. - Yours, etc.,
John Reynolds, Rathdrum, Co Wicklow.