Touched by the last rays of the sun, the grey mud of the estuary is dimpled with silver pools. Above them, rooks fly in their thousands, rooks uncountable, on different levels of the air.

Timoleague, an ancient village overlooking the beautiful Argideen estuary, seems a challenged place on a still dark, early spring evening. 

MINISTER for the Environment John Gormley is expected to shortly release funds for the removal of up to 3,000 tonnes of sea lettuce, which has blighted parts of the west Cork coast.