Gormley accused of FF-style double-speak

ON August 4 the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley, issued a directive, under EU regulations on birds and natural habitats, aimed at protecting special areas of conservation and special protected areas from potential damage and disturbance caused by quad bikes and scramblers.

Quite rightly the minister insisted that people should be allowed to “find recreation in the enjoyment of undisturbed nature”.

What then are we to make of the minister’s recent decision to grant Royal Dutch Shell permission to erect two large drilling platforms in the special protected area of Sruth Fada Conn estuary in north west Mayo for the purpose of drilling 80 boreholes?