Greens fail to tackle littered countryside

I CHOSE to vote for a Green party candidate in the last general election, a good man who cares for his community and lives as he speaks.

However, with a Minister for the Environment in their ranks, can somebody please explain why our countryside is so filthy with litter and rubbish of all sorts, and there is no obvious effort — other then Tidy Towns’ groups — to eradicate the mess?

Is it possible the Greens, like our gardaí and council officials, are too middle class, self-serving and incompetent to get down and dirty.

Laws are openly abused, complaints ignored and lack of pride and respect acceptable, it seems.

Every piece of litter should be a nail in the coffin of the Greens. Certainly John Gormley is the poorest environment minister in two decades in this regard, and heaven knows his Fianna Fáil counterparts are nothing to write home about.

Many people expected far more from the Greens in terms of long-lasting, visible and even revolutionary projects. The average home, business and farm will be no better equipped when they leave than when they first entered government. This is shameful.

Everything possible should have been done to increase use of solar panels, mini windmills and other small eco-friendly projects.

Young people should have been inspired under the Greens’ watch. Instead they feel free to despoil.

When finances are restricted, sensible planning is paramount.

However, only the grandiose will do, it seems, for our environment protectors ... roadsides, rivers and railways must be irrelevant now.

Even recycling hasn’t visibly progressed in recent years.

The Greens’ time in government is short and the results are poor, so they should try one last time to be remembered for something constructive that people can relate to and be proud of.

Mike Goodall

Dromleigh South

Bantry

Co Cork