access to the countryside

[Dec]

We need legislation to resolve this problem in Ireland

[Grizzly A]

Before we can have legislation we need politicians who a) represent
the 97pc of the population who are not farmers (yes, that's right:
farmers are just 3pc of the population and falling fast); b) have the
wit and imagination to see the enormous benefits - economic, health-
giving and in terms of giving people the feeling they have a 'stake'
in the countryside.

At the moment we have, in charge of access issues, Eamon O Cuiv, who
seems to believe that if he love-bombs the farmers for long enough
they will have a Damascene conversion to reasonableness; b) John
Gormley, who has completely forgotten who his real constituency is.

Gormley is a particular disappointment. You might expect O Cuiv, from
a rural constituency to fear an electoral capsize if he rocks the boat
but Gormley? What are the Greens for if they cannot deliver on
something so basic as access to the countryside?

Grizzly A