Sir, - Have the Irish lost sight of the value of their unspoilt landscape and its attraction for tourists? Last week I stayed at Shannonbridge by a bend in the river just north of the bridge itself. The area is a salmon pool and the view can only be described as idyllic. Imagine, therefore, my dismay when I learned of a proposal to build a new jetty at this very point. Not only would this spoil the view, but pollution from motor boats would also have difficulty in dispersing.
The provision of mooring at this point would also introduce the need for a skip for rubbish, and, probably, ultimately toilets and other facilities. Given that there is already a jetty on the south side of the bridge, why on earth is development not focused there? Even if the short-term costs are slightly higher, the long-term environmental gains cannot be underestimated. The proposal for the new jetty defies logic - one cannot but wonder who stands to gain. - Yours, etc., (Dr) Niamh Whitfield,
London W14 0EL.