DEAR SIR: I normally look forward to reading Colm McCarthy’s column every week in the Irish Farmers Journal and while I don’t always agree with his opinion, this week he got my blood boiling.

Does he drive around rural Ireland at all? Stats would seem to suggest that there are population increases right across the spectrum.

However, percentage increases, no different to percentage pay increases (which he harps on a lot about), can mean a percent of a small amount, ie a minimal increase. Whereas the same percentage of a bigger amount can be substantial.

On analysis, I’m sure a lot of the increases are down to migrant workers, by and large. Our bigger population centres are bursting at the seams due to political stupidity.

Dublin in particular is awash with tower cranes building properties that are out of reach of most ordinary workers (the next bust isn’t far away).

The population demographic should be spread better right across the country, which would have many obvious benefits.

A hub system with a well-connected rail and transport infrastructure between each hub is required.

Anyway, back to rural Ireland in decline. Most villages and small towns are shadows of their former selves.

In decline

The post office has closed, the garda station has closed, the pubs are all but gone, the butcher, the baker, the general store that stocked everything from a needle to an anchor. Football and hurling teams are in decline.

In my parish alone 30 years ago there were in the region of 40 farmers supplying milk. Today, there are three, and it looks like there is no one coming on to replace them.

OK, the gap may be filled by suppliers in the better land areas but at what cost? What about the concentrated pollution from these suppliers getting bigger?

Take the last couple of years and in particular the last 12 months. It hasn’t stopped raining since last June practically, and areas where cows could be out grazing by early February are not able to do so now. Slurry and feed shortage is a big issue in these areas, not to talk of the west of the country.

If production no more than populations was spread a bit better right across rural Ireland outcomes would be far better. There seems to be an unwritten policy to shut down the west of Ireland and plant it. If we don’t keep small farmers operating even on a part-time basis then the whole fabric of rural Ireland is about to change and not for the better.