Sir, – In response to Fintan O’Toole's article (Opinion, November 12th): it gets worse. Hill sheep farmers intending to fence the uplands are not being advised by the Department of Agriculture of the requirement to apply for planning permission. We are satisfied that this is a deliberate ploy on its part.
As hillwalkers will only be too well aware, the hills are already festooned with wire. In few, if any cases, has planning permission been applied for, thus rendering virtually all this fencing illegal. The EU is monitoring the situation and is most concerned with Government’s failure to protect our landscape.
Unless we change course we could be facing huge fines. For the unfortunate hill-sheep farmers, the phrase “rock and a hard place” comes to mind!
Keep Ireland Open is calling on the Government to immediately reverse this crazy decision before any more damage is done. – Yours, etc,
ROGER GARLAND,
Keep Ireland Open,
Butterfield Drive, Dublin 14.