Letters to the editor: Simon Coveney has not been kind to the environment

The first was his enthusiasm for salmon farming as a new minister in 2011. Leaving aside the arguments over ‘organic’ and the industry’s consumption of forage fish, Coveney’s accommodation of foreign direct investment left the unsatisfactory legal situation where stocking limits could not be altered. Years of litigation have followed, including a current High Court case.

The second was the declaration of a ‘Fortress Ireland’ biosecurity to limit ash dieback in 2012. That was three years too late — the disease was distributed to nine farms throughout Ireland via infected ash in whips from Europe in 2009. 

The result of this spectacular failure in biosecurity can be seen in dying ash trees in every county in Ireland and is now being replicated by the importation of hawthorn — and the fireblight disease.

The third was in his own constituency — Haulbowline Island, Ireland’s only steelworks from 1939 until its closure in 2001. 

Studies showed concentrations of copper, chromium, cadmium, lead, and zinc up to 17 times acceptable levels in the soil. 

While more than 100,000 tons of contaminated soil were shipped to Germany for decontamination this only addressed the nine hectare East Tip dump — now ‘the Haulbowline Island Recreational Amenity’.

The clean-up did not include the remaining 12 hectares, the site of the plant itself and the area of highest contamination, riddled with highly polluted underground piping and chambers. 

In 2016, in consultation with the EU Commission, Mr Coveney announced an ‘all island’ clean-up to include a ‘ground level remediation of the former factory site’.

Just €23m of the ring-fenced fund of €61m budget allocated by the government for the scheme has been spent. The 12 hectare area, which lies between the Recreational Park and the Naval Yards, was never touched and continues to blow in the wind.

Fourth, Mr Coveney was the main political player behind Food Harvest 2020, the strategy that targeted a 50% increase in milk production and enabled agro-industrial interests to determine the future of Irish farming.

In what has been called ‘incredible ignorance’, in 2014 he said: “I will not allow a situation where the potential for growth and expansion in agri-food will be compromised by the setting of emissions limits.”

The result is today’s agricultural and environmental meltdown. Land prices have spiralled out of control; derogations are vanishing, and many smaller dairy farmers who borrowed heavily are now facing bankruptcy. And the public is left with the cost of the deterioration of water quality in our estuaries and coastal waters.

Finally, Ireland’s outlier position in the construction of data centres with their energy and water demands is his last legacy — and the costs of this policy are yet to be enumerated.

Tony Lowes, Friends of the Irish Environment, Eyeries, Co Cork

Hypocrisy in the US

The comments from the US secretary of state Antony Blinken are truly shocking; he says “humanitarian workers should be protected in Gaza” yet his country is supplying the arms to Israel to make this all happen.

Paul Doran, Monastery Walk, Dublin

Medical treatment for all in the EU

In an age when faith in political Institutions is being undermined by bad actors, we EU citizens should celebrate one critical bureaucratic win. 

The right of all Irish residents to receive immediate medical treatment in any EU hospital, public or private, and to be fully refunded by the Irish State, remains a very poorly advertised right.

Shame on all of our public representatives, broadcasters, and health correspondents for failing to ensure that every single person, (forced to wait interminably for treatments), that their wait is totally unnecessary.

Those that cannot afford the upfront cost can have an interest free credit union bridging loan arranged. 

Several Irish ‘hand-hold’ facilitators can take patients right through the process. 

They receive a fee from treating hospitals. There is no national health service for elective procedures. There is an immediate service available through our EU rights.

Please spread the good news brought to us through our membership of the great European Union.

Declan Doyle, Kilkenny

Recognising the Palestinian state

The new leader of Fine Gael, Simon Harris, made some strong comments regarding the ongoing crisis in Gaza at his party’s ard fheis on Saturday night.

Actions are stronger than mere words and if he wants to do something constructive then the Irish State needs to recognise the Palestinian state. Let him do that when the Dàil resumes and he is elected as the new Taoiseach.

Paul Doran, Monastery Walk, Dublin