Sir, – Thanks to John FitzGerald for his succinct and accessible analysis of our current incoherent and costly policy of subsidising peat-fired electricity stations until 2030 ("For peart's sake – subsidy on peat generation exceeds wages of those it employs as our emissions soar", Business Opinion, June 15th). He eloquently attests to the importance of our wet boglands as a vital carbon sink and the need to avoid the current lose-lose policy . – Yours, etc,
MIRIAM MOONEY,
Rathgar,
Dublin 6.
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Sir, – John FitzGerald’s article makes for sobering reading.
In this country, instead of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, they are steadily rising. A key factor behind the rise is the Government decision to continue to subsidise peat-fired electricity generating stations through to 2030.
The total sum involved amounts to a subsidy of more than €100 million a year to peat energy generation.
Encouraging citizens to become more environmentally aware and responsible while having policies which lead us to a situation whereby our emissions are rising (and no doubt we will end up buying carbon credits at another great cost) seems to me to be bad government and a touch of the “smoke and mirrors” type of governing. – Yours, etc,
MONA O’RAFFERTY,
Dundrum,
Dublin 16.