Sir, - Some months ago, your Environment Correspondent wrote about the plight of the villagers of Castle townshend, a "listed" village in West Cork. A developer is going to build at least 70 and perhaps 100 houses here for rich "holiday/incomers" in a village of under 30 families. The villagers could never afford the proposed new houses and 98 per cent of them strongly oppose this development, believing it will cause many and unwelcome changes to their lives.
I pointed out to one villager that this was a political issue and was deeply saddened by his response: "Sure we only have about 50 votes in the village so no politician cares about us."
It seems that the wishes of the villagers are considered inconsequential by politicians, in comparison with the wishes of one developer.
If this proves sadly true for the village of Castletownshend it will be true for hundreds of small villages throughout rural Ireland. A local political issue will become a national one. - Yours, etc.,
Mervyn A. Crawford, Cross Street, Castletownshend, Co Cork.
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