something rotting in the state of ....

i took yesterday afternoon off as 1 should at the 1st hint of good weather in this country (carpe diem duh) and went en famille (wow another french phrase) to the beaches of wicklow. You couldn't stay at Brittas Bay because of the amount of rubbish so went to another less well known beach (you have to walk down to it) closer to Wicklow town. So while I'm sitting there I read in the Independent about the tonnes of rubbish being left uncollected at the country's beaches over last weekend. No litter staff, no bin emptying etcetc all due to "significant financial and staffing cohnstraints". Now i absolutely accept that any normal person should clear up after themselves but cutting back on such services is just pathetic and short sighted and will no nothing to encourage tourists or promote the image of green unspoilt Ireland.
Some serious lack of priorities here as public autorities fight to cope with the economic downturn. It's as unthoughtout as the proposed moratorium on filling of posts and not renewing contracts which may be imposed on the 3rd level educational sector. For us in the library that means the distinct possibility of DIT libraries not opening weekends or evening in the next academic year