Sir, - I wish to compliment Kevin Myers on his well-informed column of November 1st. His observations about the obvious disregard by various county council planning officials of the visual protection of our countryside were accurate. Much credit is due to him and to The Irish Times for frequently highlighting the truth about the environment and those whose job it is to protect it.
Donegal County Council officials have presided over the destruction of almost every beauty spot in the county, as revealed by the BBC's Home Truths programme. Hundreds of seldomused holiday homes have turned Portsalon, Portnablagh, Downings and Dunfanaghy into virtual ghost towns.
I cannot recall a single council official in Donegal, a county councillor, or anyone in our local or national media expressing concern. Rather, the holiday home explosion has been described as an investment in the locality. What utter nonsense.
Well done to Kevin Myers and The Irish Times. - Yours, etc.,
Eamonn McElwaine, Ballylar, Letterkenny, Co Donegal.