Environmental protection - A welcome reduction

Like all small parties that chose to support Fianna Fáil in government the Green Party is paying a very high price for its ever-so-brief flirtation with power.

Especially as that transient authority did little enough to change in any fundamental way our too-often destructive attitudes to the environment.

It is more than unfortunate that at a time when these issues were never more pressing the party most committed to pushing them to the top of the political agenda has been more or less silenced.

Nevertheless, it is good news that environmental infringement cases taken against Ireland by the European Commission have more than halved over the last three years.

Though this represents considerable progress maybe we should reflect for just a moment why we must be coerced to protect the great, finite gifts we all depend on for our survival.