My dear readers, I ask this question in all seriousness, having read that nine Tipperary County Councillors tabled a motion at their end of July meeting, which called on the local authority to halt their use of glyphosate weed killer.
Ballina, Co. Tipperary resident and Fine Gael Cllr. Ms Phyll Bugler, said that she was disappointed to learn that the product was still approved in the EU, until December 2033. She felt that cancer bearing glyphosate weed killer could be entering our drinking water system.
Councillor Bugler, dear lady for God sake stop worrying, sure we here in Thurles use Fairy Dishwashing Liquid and allow it to run down from our sinks and into our drains, to enter our drinking water system all the time; despite the warning on the label which declares “Harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects”.
Come to think of it, now that may account for the lovely white, frothy, foam substance, often found floating down the River Suir in Thurles!
Anyway, councillors were quickly informed by their betters, that while they were committed to reducing the use of herbicides and pesticides; glyphosate is not banned in Ireland, and remains approved for use in the EU to control invasive plant species. Since glyphosate is not banned in Europe and since the EU now makes all the laws and requlations governing Ireland; this leaves Simon Harris free to jet around the world pretending he is a world leader.
Senior officials from the German manufacturing chemical company Bayer, (who bought Monsanto’s glyphosate recipe for a mere reported $66 billion in cash), who were listening at the keyhole to this Tipperary council debate, heaved a deep sigh of relief on hearing Tipperary officials support their product.
It is now my belief that the nine councillors involved in this attempted insurgency within the council chamber, have never gotten themselves involved in the insignificant, or dare I say ‘frivolous task’ of washing the dirty dishes.
But sure look, as Charles Dickens once stated in his book ‘David Copperfield’, “Least said, soonest mended”.
Let the next generation worry about it, if there is one.
Thanks for this…….
In yesterday’s Irish Times there was a feature entitled, “Ireland’s Greenest Places 2025” – sadly Thurles didn’t get a mention but Cloughjordan, Co. Tipp did……among the many heartening examples of positive actions was one in Co. Westmeath – the Dysart River Project – said river flows into Lake Ennell….anyway between 2018 – 2021 the quality of the river was recorded as “poor”…..now it’s “good”…. The article stated, “A collaborative effort with 23 farmers in the catchment at its core worked with agencies to find solutions, including Local Water Programme scientists and Teagasc experts.”…….
Most of the other examples also pointed towards local activists working to find solutions and improvements…….and not waiting for politicians to sort things out…… now, wouldn’t it be great if something could be done to improve the quality of the Suir.
Towns and cities that stand on a river are very fortunate in that they add something to the life and whole atmosphere ……here’s hoping that sometime in the future Thurles and the Suir will feature in Ireland’s Greenest Places!