DEAR SIR: I am writing to express my concerns and opinions about sustaining rural Ireland, spurred on by the recent discussions in relation to the planning criteria.

I was born and reared in Askamore, Co Wexford.

This is a very rural area nestled under Sliabh Bui overlooking Carnew in south Wicklow.

Wexford planning authority and maybe many more authorities have initiated plans to restrict planning permission in rural areas.

These plans have not yet been finalised, but they will restrict new dwellings to a farmer’s son whose sole income is from agriculture.

The planning authorities may have their reasons, but I feel they are overlooking many more negative effects of their decisions.

Firstly, I like many more rural dwellers am a part-time, beleaguered sheep and beef farmer. I take pride in continuing the farm in the family name. I enjoy my small farming activities, and the positive effects they have on my health and the health of my family are uncountable, not to mention the care and individual attention that I give to the environment and the local wildlife.

If in the future I do not fall into the category to receive planning permission, I will not be able to continue my sustainable, environmentally-friendly farming practices. Then, the land will be incorporated into the large, ever increasing commercial dairy farms which demand modern grass species and high productivity paying lesser attention and pride to sustainable environmentally friendly farming.

Furthermore, much of the financial gain I receive is spent locally. I distribute money to mechanics, grain stores, veterinary practitioners, contractors, builders and conservationists, just to mention a few.

If I and many others in my position cannot build on our own family land because my main income is not from farming, these local services will dwindle. The people and their families will then be looking for financial supports from the Government.

Finally, the remaining rural schools, post offices, churches and sporting facilities will just fade away with rural desertification. The long-lived sporting rivalry between parishes will be gone.

I hope the young people of rural Ireland will not lose the right to remain rural people, to rear children in the areas that they were reared, to wear the jersey that their parents wore, to go to a religious ceremony where their families before them went.

These are very simple events which can all be altered by poorly thought out planning regulations. Sustain rural Ireland, don’t diminish it.