Friends of the Irish Environment Email Archives Homepage This is the archive of the Friends of the Irish Environment. You can SUBSCRIBE by clicking on this link.    The full range of our work can only be seen on our website, which includes more than 15,000 Irish news stories from the last ten years as well as up to date coverage on European environmental court cases against Ireland. EU COMMISSIONERS BACK FIE CALL ON FOOD HARVEST 2020 The European Environment Commissioners for Agriculture and Environment have written jointly to Friends of the Irish Environment that they ‘fully share’ the group’s belief that Food Harvest 2020 would benefit from legal assessments under EU Directives. Food Harvest 2020 proposes an increase in the primary output in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector of 33% with an increase in exports of 42% and in milk production of 50%. The aquaculture sector is to expand by 300%. ‘We fully share your view’, Environmental Commissioners Dacin Ciolos [Agriculture] and Janez Potocnik [Environment] wrote, ‘that Food Harvest 2020 would benefit from both an Strategic Environmental Assessment under that Directive and from an Appropriate Assessment under the Habitats Directive’. The Commissioners informed FIE that the ‘Commission’s service were currently looking at the plan in the light of your submissions’ and will revert to the organisation ‘once they have concluded the examination of the issues arising.’ FIE NEWS: Are the GM potato trials toxic and other summer stories FIE’s latest Newsletter ‘Are the GM potato trials toxic and other 2012 summer stories’ is available from the archives by clicking here. You can subscribe to the latest news from FIE by signing up to FIE NEWS here. This service has been expanded to include Press Releases as they go out as well as Newsletters. You can also receive the daily national environmental headlines from our twitter account FIEIRELAND. Aside from the failure of the EPA to require toxicity test on the GM blight resistant potato trials, this issue includes the latest on the campaign to have the ambitious targets of ‘Food Harvest 2020’ assessed for its potential impact on the environment, the 200% increase in water bourn e.coli VEC infections (photo) so far this year, the growing resistance to fracking and the latest from the turf cutting wars – as well as ‘pretty litter’ – the continued release by the Irish people into the marine environment of potentially deadly balloons. Raised Bog SAC Management Plan 'Abuse of Habitats Directive' Environmental groups have written to Minister Deenihan and Chairman of the Peatlands Council Conor Skehan claiming that the recently circulated Management Plan for raised bogs SACs is an abuse of the Habitats Directive. The letter from Friends of the Irish Environment, which is supported by 6 leading environmental groups, states that the proposed development of conservation objectives while producing a Management Plan that will allow damage to the designated bogs is an ‘abuse of the process’ required by the Habitats Directive. The Plan’s proposes to use the damage inflicted on the bogs by this unauthorized cutting as a basis for de-designation in spite of the fact that the legislation states that only damage caused by ‘natural deterioration’ can be used to de-designated a protected site. FIE PR BOG MANAGEMENT PLAN  (6/15/2012) FIE NEWS AUTUMN 2010 ACCESS TO JUSTICE & THE PRESIDENT | THE UNRAVELING OF THE WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE | PEAT CAMPAIGN | AWARENESS: EARTH HOUR AND 10:10 | GRANTS FORCE FARMER TO BURN | SPIES IN THE SKY - REMOTE SENSING REGISTER PUBLISHED | HAULBOWLINE INACTION CONTINUES | RINGFORT DESTRUCTION | IRISH LIGHTS AND THE COLT ROCK | SHOULD PAPER BAGS BE TAXED? | FORESTRY: NO CHANGE | WHAT MILLENNIUM TREE? | STEPHEN DEVANEY: RIP FIE NEWS JUNE 2009 FIE NEWS JUNE 2009  (6/22/2009) Includes updates on EU fines that loom. How FIE found that the quarry registration legislation is unenforceable. FIE’s work on unauthorised peat extraction; the untold story of how the Department of the Environments sale of a bog was stopped when An Bord Plenala refused permission. Hen harrier: protection? Hen harrier: the scientific advice on one-offs that didn't exist. Salmon, lice, and fish farms: new study showsn inevitable extinction. EU moves on Haulbowline's toxic dump – and the Minister’s pay off to the surface cleanup contractors. Moratorium on upland wind farm construction - unanswered letters. Forestry Plans and funding fade. Killarney golf club fells heritage trees. Access to justice in the EU courts. Earth Hour 2009 darkens the world. Balloon-less school gets rehab turtle. Tony Gregory, RIP. The Irish Papers Today 3.03.09 TIPT 03.03.09  (3/3/2009) Dead eagle in Donegal poisoned | Hill of Tara on list of endangered must-sees | Lough Gur proposed for heritage status | Dublin council asked to amend Shannon water plan | Department warns An Bord Pleanala of risks from harbour incinerators | Challenges to Galway ring road transferred | Rural areas at far higher risk from Cryptosporidium | Shopping centre parking fee proposed | For the birds in Dun Laoghaire | Gormley to speed up one-off planning | Payment for home-produced electricity given warm welcome | EPA gets no bids for waste storage | Low income farmers 'facing extinction' | North Cork landscape revealed by buildings of the past | 'A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees.' | News of the World Earth Hour 2009 | Northern Ireland: Belfast's city lights go out for Earth Hour 2009 | Salt caverns in Antrim coast to store wind power | I did not ban green TV adverts, says Sammy Wilson | Paisley cleared of wrongdoing | Great Britain: Plant diseases threaten woodland | European Union: Member states back "illegal" national GM bans | International: US gives carbon markets new lease of life | Despite Recession, Atmospheric CO2 Levels Accelerated In 2008 The Irish Papers Today 24.02.09 TIPT 24.02.09  (2/24/2009) State subsidies of internal flights the height of folly | Carbon tax 'could harm tourism' | Minister warns water schemes they face 'draconian' measures | Major development in Tralee gets go-ahead | Sky-walk' plan for new Sligo square | Corrib oral hearing could overlap with Solitaire visit | Homes in Gaeltacht lie empty | Referral by safety before LNG rejected | Company seeks licence to search for coal in Sligo | Bicycle rental scheme to go ahead | Golf club removes 160-year-old lime trees | Fur farm footage posted on internet | Farmers demand meeting with Minister over turf cutting ban | Many green issues of greater concern here than globally | Ireland's only cable car to be replaced 40 years on | Svalbard Global Seed Vault deposit | Just do it | Northern Ireland: 'Jail badger baiters' says Wilson | John Lewis: the inquiry everyone wants | European Union: Århus finally gets go-ahead in Iceland | International: The Vanishing Face of Gaia | 8 in 10 conflicts in environmental 'hotspots': study | Climate Fears Are Driving 'Ecomigration' Across Globe | This financial crisis is now truly global The Irish Papers Today 17.02.09 TIPT 17.02.09  (2/17/2009) Earth Hour 2009 'biggest grassroots marketing campaign ever' / Media exaggerating oil spill off Irish coast / Critical of failure to publish promised report on local government reform / County Council throws down gauntlet' / State pays...2m for majority landholding on Great Blasket / Bankers move on two golf resorts / 'I never suggested a national herd cull' - Gormley / War of words over club's lime trees / Organics - from boom to doom / Slurry from dioxin feed still on farms / Organics - from boom to doom? // Northern Ireland: Green campaign seeks North minister resignation / Northern Ireland Water fined over sewage in river / Queen's surging forward to develop wave power station // Great Britain: Coal-fired power stations are death factories. Close them. // European Union: Wildlife risks paying price for economic gloom // International: The push for biofuels adds to CO2 release / Global warming 'underestimated' / Bleak forecast on fishery stocks The Irish Papers Today 3 February 2009 TIPT 03.02.09  (2/3/2009) State 'likely to be sued' over Haulbowline dump | Blueprint for Island being finalized | EU drops cases against Ireland | How An Bord Pleanala shot down Dunne plan and buried Celtic Tiger | A EUR10m deal to erect 60 billboards? Only in Dun Laoghaire | Pidí's 4m plan for Ventry gets green light | Eyebrows raised as tower plan gets the go-ahead | Amount of food waste going to landfill is rising says EPA report | Wexford public bus service to be scaledback | Up to 110 posts at risk at Coillte | Ongoing odour problems prompt call for Ballagh landfill closure date | Lough Ree water abstraction unlikely to go ahead | Clonmel prepares for clean-up as floods recede | Building houses on flood plains is destroying natural defences, says expert Dangerous dumping of dogs on roadside | Turf ban delay | Northern Ireland: Union makes official protest over Sammy's attack on his own staff | Planners may force developer to rebuild demolished home | Pollution: it's time for gloves to come off, declares MLA | Great Britain: Britain's ponds to double to 1 million | International: Monaco Declaration - Marine Experts Implore Governments to Slash Carbon Emissions | China blames pollution for surge in birth defects The Irish Papers Today TIPT 13.01.09  (1/13/2009) Cowen goes to High Court in row over State secrets; Stacks windfarm project to be subject of EU investigation ; Minister's Haulbowline team never formed; Greens vow to introduce new carbon tax by end of the year; Gormley support for cattle cull to cut emissions a myth – Sargent; Planning Bill to end excessive rezoning – Gormley; Councillors face footing bill in rezoning case; New rules may force 'firesale' of 70,000 houses; Out of Order; Devondale respond to Council on Celbridge masterplan; Cash delay may damage bay forever; Salmon fishing in 11 more rivers banned; Pioneering cod farming project launched; Northern Ireland; Sammy Wilson: I still think manmade climate change is a hoax; New energy bills for all property owners; Protests held at George Best airport; Sweeney to take Causeway battle to court; More than 200 NI rivers polluted; Northern Ireland tidal turbine breaks world energy record; Great Britain Farmers fear EU pesticide rules; Scotland prepares to host Europe's first 'dark sky park'; Corncrake numbers 'show decline'; European Union: EEA snapshot of environmental priorities for 2009; International - Study: Searching Google Damages The Environment Tons of Coal Ash Piling Up Across U.S., Analysis Says THE IRISH PAPERS TODAY 20 JANUARY 2009 TIPT 20.01.09.1  (1/20/2009) Ireland: Quashing of Council's ruling sought; Food safety chief delayed report on adulterated water; 23% of samples in one area tainted; 'Question mark' over toxic dump report; Dublin Bus to lay off 290 staff and reduce services; Sanctuary gets EUR10k boost; Airport plan delay; No task force to get rid of pyrite problem; Court overturns council ban on plan by McNamara; Two legs good, four wheels bad; A tail of two villages and a whale. Northern Ireland: Cloughfin Bay beauty spot sewage fury; Building in the countryside: now you can have a say; Secret gift to save ancient woods. Great Britain: Farms to take heat out of warming; Go-ahead for new Heathrow runway. European Union: Euro MPs back pesticide controls; Proposed EU directive calls for air and road haulage toll. International: New soil map for African farmers; Light pollution forms 'eco-traps' THE IRISH PAPERS TODAY 27 JANUARY 2009 TIPT 27.01.09  (1/27/2009) State to face large EU fines if directive on landfill not enforced | Phasing out of traditional bulbs put back to September | Chinese to return over 23 tonnes of dioxin-scare pork | Wheels come off Greens' ministerial car-pooling plans | Public-transport protest | Oireachtas car park must go, says OPW | Racehorses fall victim to the recession | Lissadell move 'a unilateral attack' | Poaching on Lough Allen | Ecology centre loses 1m in funding | Ill effects of wind farms | Death by a thousand cuts | From small sea-lice do great problems grow | Northern Ireland: Inquiry call after dawn demolition of historic home | Falcon and pigeons in battle for Derry's skies | Great Britain: Shortlist for Severn energy plans | Farmer's secret GM crop defies green rulebook | European Unio: MEPs back binding emission limits for plants | International: Report: Some climate damage already irreversible | Pesticide ban makes good economic sense | Reduced pollution increases life expectancy: study The Irish Papers Today 2008 Review TIPT 2008 REVIEW  (12/30/2008) European court ruling may force change in planning laws | EU rules against Ireland on planning | State fails to treat sewage properly | Gormley says fines on EU environment | Government bagging 22m with plastic tax | Environmental citizen's groups score victory on public participation | Harding judgment - Criteria for challenges to planning decisions clarified | Landmark Mayo case could have implications for farmers nationally | Judge overturns An Bord Pleanala approval for Bantry water scheme | Residents face huge legal costs over plans to oppose terminal | Green activist smashes Cabinet secrecy |Gormley denies Cork contamination cover-up | Court challenge to 500m gas facility | Newman resigns from Gormley's M3 advisory body | Planning chief blasts 'lack of coherence' in zoning policy | 50,000 new homes lying empty in 'ghost' estates | Huge rise in greenhouse gas from transport | Stark findings' of species and habitats assessment | Irish in the dark about threat to biodiversity | IFA criticises Minister Gormley's plans for further SAC designations | Investigations underway into cause of Kerry mudslide | Fishermen warn of further protests if talks inconclusive | Hopefully, we'll be able to see the forest for the trees | Northern Ireland: Countryside applications to be reviewed as NI rules relaxed | 11,000 pollution cases but only one person jailed | Where the land' is precious, but the environment not | Failed dawns | Hunger strikes and jailings The Irish Papers Today 16 December 2008 TIPT 16.12.08 Deal to slash carbon emissions could cost EUR lbn a year | New doubts raised over Poolbeg incinerator waste deal | Cash strapped owners allowed sell their homes | Application for modified Shell pipeline withdrawn | Meath planning row deepens | S Africa bans all EU meat and dairy | Clare council rezones 70 contentious acres | Major fishing port will be 'wiped out' by new EU rule | Planning watchdog pulls plug on Tramore local development | Salmon farm industry hit by cash crisis | Green plan could see wind turbines replace Ballymun tower blocks | Farmers receive support from EU on water charges | Bid to fast-track pyrite case fails | Geevagh bog slide gets 60,000 | COILLTE'S Christmas tree | | Northern Ireland: Multiple occupancy limited to 10% | Maze plan 'doomed' as Windsor Park gets an upgrade |Landfill gas to power Belfast || Great Britain: Road pricing in tatters as Manchester rejects congestion charge | Eco starlet | Bird lovers split over plan to bring back glorious killer of the skies || European Union: EU "highly unlikely" to meet biodiversity goal ||International: Obama picks Nobel man for Energy | No progress in Poznan on new emmissions cuts | Toast: the best thing since sliced bread Forest Network Newsletter FNN 178 November 2008 FNN 178: ‘Irish Forestry: Give Us the SEA' calls for an Strategic Environmental Assessment to lay the groundwork for a sustainable national forestry policy. The legal exemption from SEA in Irish law only applied while forestry was EU funded - which is no longer the case. Has the loophole become a noose? FSC - the Irish ‘greenwash'. Forestry contractors join environmentalist to protest over clearfell damage. Maps tracking the vanishing Hen harrier and the fresh water pearl mussel. The INFF Forestry Conference. Forestry and climate change. Coillte: its legal status; how it is exporting permethrine with the adhesive Flexcoat to the UK where it is unauthorised; its non return of €8 million in unauthorised grants required by the EU Court since 2002. An obituary for Crann. The Irish Papers Today 9.12.08 TIPT 9.12.08 Gormley unable to say what will happen to Haulbowline site | Plan being drafted to cull 100,000 pigs | Council calls on Roche to resign over LAP letter |Gormley in bid to stymie Poolbeg incinerator plan |Drogheda cement kiln described as 'fuel swap' |Meath incinerator files go missing | Chaotic start for Corrib gas talks forum | Eco worrier: Walls open doors | Hard times in the commuter belt | Owners threaten to close Lissadell | Last call for Irish corncrakes | Plan to bring salmon to Upper River Lee | Digging deep - archaeological from roads | Hopefully, we'll be able to see the forest for the trees | God save the Dail | Northern Ireland: Airport consultation 'a sham' | Spring aim for planning speed-up | Supermarket waste to be turned into pet food | Great Britain: Call to widen curbs on UK fishing | Harbour seals' decline 'alarming' | European Union: Industry "leaving EU regardless of carbon cost" | Fine threat over breaches of EU environmental law | International: A gamble that may yet cost us the Earth The Irish Papers Today 2 December 2008 TIPT 2.12.08 Ireland accused of being 'in denial' on gas emissions |Teenagers express fear and powerlessness in face of climate change |An Bord Pleanála fails to halt Poolbeg court action |Watchdog urges landfill levies to be tripled | Incinerator plans unveiled despite Gormley warning | Windfarm work restarts despite landslide fears | Heritage body says new road in Kilkenny intrusive | Hearing into gas pipeline begins | 'Positive outcome' to pylons meeting | Councillors to fight Minister for small builders policy| Not on our doorstep | Bare forestry land back about 500/acre |150,000 war on weeds to keep sheep out of the line of fire | World Heritage Sites list to be reviewed |Time-wasting archaeologists slammed by local councillor || Northern Ireland | Wilson's shock U-turn over Tyrone geological site | Countryside applications to be reviewed as NI rules relaxed |We were right on airport noise levels: residents || Great Britain | UK drops plan to introduce new air travel tax |Joint work urged on siting wind projects |Nature sites boost feted | Police have no Public Order Act powers to control Critical Mass cycle ride, Law || European Union | EU condemned on tuna 'mockery' || International | Insecticide! (An ecological disaster that will affect us all) | Man-made pollution is raising ocean acidity 10 times faster | Proposed Carrizo Plain solar plant could hurt environment, report says The Irish Papers Today 24 November 2008 TIPT 24.11.08 EU rules against Ireland on planning | Costs move on incinerator welcomed | Haulbowline toxic clean-up costs taxpayer EUR42m | Does the car parking space levy make sense? | Gormley denies anti-beef views | Minister warns councillors on small builder's policy | Mayo planning applicants feeling the wrath of Gormley's intervention | FF councillor under fire from Greens over zoning remarks | Power plant at full throttle sparks closure of bog rail | Doonbeg Golf Club records loss of 7m last year | Plans for waste facility running into opposition | Green light for Endesa move on ESB plants | Ireland gets exemption for Celtic Sea in cod plan | Northern Ireland: Restrictions to remain on new builds in the countryside | Calls grow for probe into plan for runway extension | Great Britain: Controversial animal lab opens for business | Sparrow numbers 'plummet by 68% | Fears for Food [Letters] | European Union: EU carmakers seek 40bn support | German government criticised over car tax U-turn | International: Bush angers environmentalists with last-minute rule changes | Calculating the cost of the 'eco-crunch' Congo Violence Reaches Endangered Mountain Gorillas | Dumb eco-questions you were afraid to ask TIPT 18 November 2008 TIPT 18.11.08 EU tackles government on weak EIA | Nearly a third of Irish rivers and streams polluted - EPA | Contract for waste water plant allowed odour levels 20 times those first agreed | Council facing charges over use of weedkiller | Judge refers unauthorised Slane quarry's papers to DPP | Bottled water scare as dangerous germs found |Sea-level rises could endanger Dublin Bay assets - expert | Gormley pledges help on incinerator case costs | Hunt's legal threat to Gormley's video spies | Why new Mayo development plan is deemed 'unacceptable' by Minister | Sligo hosts gathering of 43 countries on access rights | Slaughtered: Trinity College experiments on 41 beagles | Knowth - 1967 - 2008 | Defender of fishermen and marine | Northern Ireland: George Best Airport plans extension | Breeding success for Farne birds | Great Britain: | Campaigner wins seven-year battle to force rethink on use of pesticides | BP pulls out of UK wind power - and also CCS competition | One-third of Britain's beaches are contaminated | Biodiversity policy failures lambasted | European Union: EU rule change 'threat to birds' | Brussels proposes wider EU energy label | International: Have A Break, Have A Kit-Kat - And Wreck Rainforests | Turning every home into a power station. The Irish Papers Today 11 November 2008 The Irish Papers Today TIPT 11.11.08 Save the planet, but keep the change | McManus critical of carbon reducing campaigns | 'Seas of mud being washed into rivers' |'Keep your nose out', cllr tells Georgian Society | Gormley challenges council's builders list | Plan for 'eco-district' in west Dublin approved | Councils zoning too far from services, say planners | Strandhill group defends objection to airport car park | Oral hearing into liquid gas pipeline to be held next month | Killala call to arms to stop dump at Asahi | Further energy developments planned for Mayo | Alumina plant's profits fall 97% | CAP changes will put food supply at risk, warns State | Gormley critical of Smith's speech on cattle and climate | Protected goose species in decline due to climate changes | Off-roaders targeted in new EU laws | Return of the Forest Network Newsletter Northern Ireland | Public urged to help save our ancient woodland | Larger-scale farms still prepared to go organic Great Britain | Green spaces 'reduce health gap' | Sainsbury boss says 'food miles' miss point ! 'Clean-up' bees could save endangered hives European Union | MEPs stick to their guns on pesticide approvals | Ozone pollution "still a health hazard in Europe" | ECJ clarifies obligations under water pollution law | International | Can legislation stop the wells running dry? | Flu shots save fewer lives than thought | Beware the destructive nature of greed. FIE NEWS FIE NEWS   (10/15/2007) A better Access to Information Convention? Forestry - A Strategic Environmental Assessment? Section 5s. Killarney - Cork road rerouted! Ballina bridge - ABP decision provokes legal ire. Cleafelling in Ireland - an ecological disaster. Green Label Problems. Wicklow Council sustains FIE's mast objection. Call for more funds for GSI and EPA. The definition of peat soils. Long life lighbulb - the dangers. The new FIE site.