Victoria White: The truth hurts but lungs filled with smoke hurts much more

Wood and turf smoke is just as bad for human health as coal smoke. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said as much last week, after Health Minister Simon Harris raised the issue at Cabinet. The truth always hurts and that’s particularly the case in politics.

It’s because our democratic political parties don’t want to be hurt that they have a problem with the truth. That’s why I greeted the Government’s statement, reported this week,that there could be a consultation on a national ban on burning these fuels as well as on burning coal with amazement.