Sir, - My sincere wish to leave your letters page to others on the subject of the Southern Port Access Route, has been severely tested by the latest ramblings from John Gormley TD (January 27th).
Can I first of all, however, welcome the most recent comments from Sadhbh O'Neill of Earthwatch (January 26th) who in marked contrast, offered a rational and balanced approach to the debate on the topic, a debate that I encouraged initially through the courtesy of The Irish Times.
I note Deputy Gormley's confirmation of his appreciation of the support given by Earthwatch during his term as Lord Mayor. Surely that was a point in my previous letter. Enough said.
Of more importance is his twisted logic that claims my support for a particular port access route makes me part of the "Roads Lobby". Yet support for a different road, the Liffey Tunnel, favoured by the Deputy and his Party, gathers no such label. Quite frankly, the environment is too important to be left to such "games-playing" and certainly far to important to be entrusted to the Green Party.
In the course of his letter Deputy Gormley, in accepting the role that the Northern Tunnel may have in easing the problem of port access, conveniently forgets to mention that he voted against it.
Finally, in my experience, a charge of "political cynicism" coming from the Green Party is a bit akin to a very dark kettle, calling a rather clean pot, black. - Yours, etc., Councillor Dermot Lacey,
Beech Hill Drive, Donnybrook, Dublin 4.