Government neglecting environment, claims architect

THE Department of the Environment is far more focused on planning and local government issues and is blatantly neglecting our environment, a leading architect and environmental awareness activist said yesterday.

Any green initiatives undertaken are done so under threat of fines from Europe and the link between politicians and the developer in Ireland is far too close for comfort, said architect Duncan Stewart yesterday.

“Yes, we have a good minister. Martin Cullen is doing a good job. But I don’t believe that our Government gives a damn about our environment. I don’t believe it has ever become a debate at Government level. It doesn’t come across that they care.

“The Department of the Environment is more a department of local government.

“It has a lot of departments within it such as construction, planning and housing as well as local government. It is called the Department of the Environment, but that name really shouldn’t be used,” he said at a Tourism and Hospitality Conference at Waterford Institute of Technology yesterday.

“Ireland’s environment is going downhill. Our politicians typically are not aware or are not informed about the environment. A lot of the time they are acting negatively when positive initiatives are proposed.

“Tourism is a critical industry in Ireland. Because we do not have a sunny climate and are not renowned for pursuits such as skiing, we need to protect our environment, our clean, green country image which tourists expect.

But far too many are disappointed to find our natural habitats are being destroyed by ugly, obtrusive developments nearby or by indiscriminate dumping.

“Our tourist industry, on one level, is the most vulnerable industry in Ireland to our disintegrating environment. But the tourist industry itself is not doing much.

Typical hotels, pubs, restaurants, golf clubs etc are doing little to foster good environmental practice within their own control and outside of their own management structure in the local communities.”