Sir, – Last month, I had the great pleasure of travelling down to Tipperary to go hiking on Slievenamon. It was a broiling summer’s day, and I hiked to the summit of the mountain. The heather was teeming with bees and butterflies.
Overhead, the sky was filled with swifts and swallows. Skylarks were abundant and their beautiful song reverberated across the mountain.
Every day in the mountains is special but, travelling back to Dublin that day, I had a feeling that it had been one of those very special days, the memories of which would linger.
Seeing the images of Slievenamon in flames and realising that all that natural bounty has been reduced to ash is extremely distressing. To think that a fire could have been started deliberately or even accidentally through sheer carelessness beggars belief.
RM Block
This occurrence has become all too common in our highlands. There seems to be no accountability and, from what I can see, nobody is ever prosecuted for causing such a fire.
In contrast, in many European countries, it is reported that those responsible for causing fires are arrested, brought before the courts and prosecuted. I don’t recall any such prosecutions in this country in the last few years. Where they have occurred in the past, the fines have been derisory and act as no deterrent.
There seems to be a settled view that public education, persuasion and encouragement is the best approach to resolving the matter. That approach has been shown to be an abject failure. A more robust response is warranted with real sanctions that bite for those who engage in this reckless behaviour.
An Garda Síochána and the National Parks Service are capable of mounting a robust investigation, but they need to be properly resourced and supported with appropriate legislation so that they can do their job effectively.
Unless and until the Government wakes up to this reality, we are inevitably going to witness more harrowing scenes like the ones being played out on the slopes of Slievenamon. – Yours, etc,
Karl McGovern
Lucan,
Co Dublin.
