St. Paddy Meets Modern Environmental Law
It’s not a match made in heaven.
Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
An tAire Comhshaoil, Aeráide agus Cumarsáide
Irish Republic
March 17, 470 AD.
Dear Mr. Saint Patrick,
In response to credible reports which have reached this office, you’ve been involved within the export (“banishing”) of snakes (reptiles of the suborder Serpentes) from Ireland. We’re unable to seek out an export permit on file for these animals. As you might be little question aware, a permit is required for the export of untamed animals from Ireland.
As well as, several species of snakes are on the European Red List. These include the Milos viper, Macrovipera schweizeri (threatened); Lataste’s Viper, Vipera latastei (vulnerable); and Orsini’s Viper, Vipera ursinii (vulnerable). Intentional interference with these animals, including capturing, harassing, or export, is a serious offense. Since your act of “banishing the snakes from Ireland,” biological surveys have revealed no evidence of any remaining specimens in Ireland.
These actions have serious environmental consequences. Like many individuals, you will have little understanding of the ecological role played by snakes. Snakes provide food for some predators resembling birds of prey, while they themselves prey on small animals resembling rodents. Removing snakes from the ecological web can have serious, and infrequently unforeseeable, ecological impacts.
Eliminating snakes from Ireland threatens an explosion in rodent species upon which the snakes prey. This might have devastating consequences for Irish farmers. As you recognize, the potato is not going to be introduced into Ireland for several centuries, leaving the Irish food supply especially precarious at present.
The impact inside Ireland is serious enough but we must also express our alarm at their introduction as invasive species in other countries. The Roman authorities in Britain are reporting quite a few examples of snake bites and the decimation of many small animals by escaped snakes. There have also been reports of snake bites in areas where venomous snakes were previously rare.
Given the close connection of your name with the colour green, we discover the distinctly “un-Green” implications of your actions particularly disturbing. Shouldn’t you’ve thought of this before taking such drastic motion?
We invite you to fulfill with us inside the subsequent week with a view to discuss possible remedies on your actions. Failure to achieve this may lead to serious criminal or civil penalties.
Your truly,
Minister Eamon Ryan
