Madam, - When examining the present Government's "truly shocking record" of flouting EU law on the environment, Mary Raftery (Opinion, July 1st) comments:
"It is startling to note that the vast bulk of Ireland's infringements date from around the time Bertie Ahern became Taoiseach. Prior to 1998, there were only 16 formal EU complaints issued to Ireland over environmental non-compliance. During Bertie's watch, this has increased over six-fold". I would add that, on the crisis that climate change presents, and according to Mr Artur Runge-Metzger, head of the EU Commission's climate change unit, Ireland is at the bottom of the league of member-states in achieving its greenhouse gas emission targets (The Irish Times, October 8th, 2003).
It is a pity, given such a damning indictment of his suitability in terms of vision, leadership, and commitment to sustainable development, Bertie Ahern's credentials for the post of EU Commission president were not more fully explored when the debate was still current.
It prompts the question: do the Irish media become transfixed by the latest score in political table tennis, at the expense of serious analysis?
Sadly, it appears that neither Bertie Ahern nor his colleagues will radically alter their perspectives on sustainable development. Thus, in this regard, a programme of FF and PD "decentralisation" may be necessary, beginning from the next general election and lasting for not less than four to five years. - Yours, etc.,
DAVID O'GORMAN,
Swords,
Co Dublin.