Huge drop in environmental index

IRELAND has slipped a shocking 24 places on the World Economic Forum’s 2008 environmental performance index, a result environmentalists blame on our water health scare crises.

In 2006, the World Economic Forum ranked Ireland at number 10 in environmental standing in the world. Today we are number 34.

“The fall in the country’s ranking is due to our recent water pollution problems and to threats of legal action by the European Commission to enforce water standards here,” said environmental consultant Jack O’Sullivan.