Madam, - I spent a very enjoyable Saturday at the World Ploughing Championships in Carlow. Despite the mud and rain the place was packed. I was there as a volunteer, working in the Green Party tent, trying to convince Irish farmers that Satan has not been given political form in the shape of the Green Party.
What struck me most was the huge gulf between the level of hostility shown by some of the public and their actual knowledge of Green Party policy.
There seems to be a feeling among farmers that if something bad has happened to Irish agriculture in the past 40 years it is somehow the fault of the Green Party - even though we have never been in Government.
I asked many farmers to outline exactly which Green policy they disagreed with. Not a single person was able to outline a single element of the Green vision of farming.
When I was given the opportunity to explain what we would do if in power, farmers were frequently amazed that they agreed with almost everything I said.
I then pointed out that the much bigger Fianna Fáil tent was just up the road and it was there that anger about the decline in Irish agriculture must be directed.
That party has been in government almost continuously for the past 17 years and cannot escape the blame for the current poor state of rural Ireland.
I hope our efforts were not in vain. I'm not sure that rural Ireland can withstand another five years of a FF/PD Government with its support for big retailers over farmers, its questionable approach to GM food and its desire to concrete over as much of this beautiful land as possible. - Yours, etc,
GARY FITZGERALD, Foley Street, Dublin 1.