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Tony Gregory 1947 - 2009
Friends of the Irish Environment are greatly saddened by Deputy Tony Gregory's recent passing. Tony Gregory had a long record of supporting and assisting environment groups and tabled written Parliamentary Questions for FIE since the Green Party entered Government.
Tony Gregory's constituency and influence extended far beyond Dublin's inner city which he served so well. The environment has lost a good and much needed friend. |
This is the first TIPT of 2009. TIPT is a free environmental news service published by Friends of the Irish Environment weekly on Tuesdays. More than 12,900 stories from the last four years are searchable on our website, where comments can be posted on individual stories.
http://friendsoftheirishenvironment.net/
[The table of contents 'In This Edition' for this issue is incomplete because of an unresolved technical fault for which we apologise.] |
| Cowen goes to High Court in row over State secrets |
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 TAOISEACH Brian Cowen's department is accusing Information Commissioner Emily O'Reilly of exceeding her powers and acting in breach of the Constitution, legal documents reveal.
Mr Cowen's department is going head-to-head with Ms O'Reilly in a keenly anticipated case in the High Court in the new year.
The Government has launched a High Court challenge to protect Cabinet confidentiality after Mr Cowen's office was ordered to release a secret document on greenhouse gases to a Green party local election candidate. Read more. |
| Stacks windfarm project to be subject of EU investigation |
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 THE EU Environment Commission is to investigate a windfarm development in the Stacks mountains which was at the centre of concerns after a bog slide during heavy rainfall in August. The commission said it was carrying out the investigation into the Co Kerry development because it appeared "the lessons of Derybrien" in Co Galway, where a major bog slide occurred in 2003, had not been learnt.
Local residents in the Stacks mountains wrote to environment commissioner Stavros Dimas in October to say they were deeply concerned with the manner in which the windfarm at Ballincollig Hill, near Tralee, was being constructed on sensitive bog and to ask that work - which resumed recently - be stopped. The residents said "large tracts of beautiful boglands and rivers" had being damaged in the slide and the nest of a hen harrier, hares and other wildlife disturbed. Read More |
| Minister's Haulbowline team never formed |
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A SPECIAL government body announced in 2006 to redevelop and "transform" Haulbowline Island was never formally established, the Irish Examiner has learned.
In July 2006, the then Enterprise Minister, Micheál Martin, received government approval for the establishment of an inter-departmental project team to develop proposals for Haulbowline. The group, to be led by the Department of Enterprise, would "transform Haulbowline and the lower Cork Harbour, making it an attractive place to work, live and do business", according to the press release issued at the time. Read more. |
| Greens vow to introduce new carbon tax by end of the year |
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MOTORISTS are facing new levies on petrol and diesel just as the price at the pumps has begun to come down. Two Green ministers separately signalled yesterday that a carbon tax is on the way that will be unveiled in the Budget at the end of the year. It will apply to all fossil fuels and will impact on home heating oil, electricity and gas prices. It will also drive up the costs of groceries and many goods because of increased transport costs. Read more. |
| Gormley support for cattle cull to cut emissions a myth - Sargent |
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IT WAS A "myth" that Minister for the Environment John Gormley was in favour of a cattle cull to reduce methane emissions from the agriculture sector, his Green Party colleague Trevor Sargent said yesterday. Mr Sargent, Minister of State for Food and Horticulture, told the Greening of Agriculture conference on climate change in Dublin Castle this myth had been peddled, but was untrue. "It does a gross disservice to the work Minister Gormley has been doing to help the long-term viability of all sectors, including agriculture," he said. Read more. |
| Planning Bill to end excessive rezoning - Gormley |
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NEW PLANNING legislation to be published early in 2009 will put an end to opportunist rezoning of land by county councillors, according to Minister for the Environment John Gormley.
The Planning and Development Bill 2009 will no longer permit excessive zoning of development land, a phenomenon that has become a "major problem" in recent years, Mr Gormley said. The Bill is designed to allow an adequate supply of zoned and serviced land to ensure that house prices are not forced upwards and that economic development is maintained. However, it will also outlaw practices where councillors zoned far more land for development than was required. Read more.
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Councillors face footing bill in rezoning case |
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A GROUP of politicians will have to pay for their local authority's costly legal defence because they voted for an "unreasonable" planning decision currently before the High Court. Thirteen members of South Dublin County Council were told by county management to back down and revoke a controversial rezoning or future case costs will be theirs. And, in an unprecedented move, management also informed the councillors they will be billed for the costs already accrued. Read more. |
| Out of Order |
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A BALLINROBE councillor has hit out at Green Party TD Ciaran Cuffe following his comments about the 'significant' number of members of Mayo County Council who are involved in the business of auctioneering and the possible blurring of the line between their profession and their responsibilities as local representatives. Councillor Harry Walsh labelled the remarks 'stupid and absolutely insulting' at the December meeting of the Ballinrobe electoral area committee. Read more. |
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New rules may force 'firesale' of 70,000 houses |
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 BUILDERS could be forced to dramatically slash the prices of more than 70,000 new houses that are now lying empty across the country, a leading construction advisor has warned. In a damning new analysis -- obtained by the Irish Independent -- it is claimed that developers will have to offload the massive volume of vacant homes in a 'firesale' before the Government's new energy guidelines come into effect on July 1.
The new study found the number of new homes lying empty in 'ghost' estates is far larger than was previously estimated. The findings reveal there are at least 100,000 'surplus' homes -- far higher than the 30,000 estimated by construction industry chiefs and estate agents. Read more. |
| Devondale respond to Council on Celbridge masterplan |
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THE PROPOSERS of a major development for the Donaghcumper area of Celbridge have submitted further information including what has been described as 'a masterplan' for the area in question. Devondale Ltd. submitted answers to just over 50 questions posed by planners at Kildare County Council. After a brief examination of the file, Cllr. Catherine Murphy, who objected to the initial zoning of the lands, has called on the company to withdraw the planning application and "proceed in a more harmonious way." Read more. |
| Cash delay may damage bay forever |
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THE Seven Heads ranks amongst the most scenic, least spoiled areas of coastal west Cork. Wild cliffs, broad beaches, sandy coves, and open ocean are its obvious attractions and it is only an hour's drive from Cork city's streets. Courtmacsherry village is pretty as a picture postcard, with the bay in front and mature woodland behind. Timoleague's ruined, 13th century Franciscan abbey, reflected in the waters of Courtmacsherry Bay by day and floodlit by night, is one of the finest examples of medieval ecclesiastical architecture in Ireland. The bay is fed by one of Munster's best salmonoid rivers, the Argideen, famous for its sea trout fishery. Read more. |
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Salmon fishing in 11 more rivers banned |
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ON THE eve of traditional attempts by anglers to catch the first wild salmon of the year, the Government has issued new restrictions on angling and draft net activity. A total of 11 more salmon rivers are to be closed next year due to "worrying scientific analysis", according to Minister of State with responsibility for Natural Resources Seán Power. "Irish marine survival indices are at their lowest since records began in the 1980s," Mr Power said yesterday. He said a total allowable catch will be permitted for 45 rivers next year. Read more. |
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Pioneering cod farming project launched |
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IN A milestone for the development of aquaculture in Ireland, 20,000 juvenile fish have been moved in recent days from land-based facilities to sea cages by marine scientists at NUI Galway. They are pioneering a project to farm cod along the Irish coast. The "Eircod" project, led by the university's Martin Ryan Institute, has bred the fish from a specific Irish strain and aims to rear them to market size. The long-term aim is to supply continued demand for a cold-water species which are the equivalent of "turkey" to many of our European neighbours at Christmas time. Read more. |
| Sammy Wilson: I still think manmade climate change is a hoax |
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 Spending billions on trying to reduce carbon emissions is one giant con that is depriving third world countries of vital funds to tackle famine, HIV and other diseases, Sammy Wilson said. The DUP minister has been heavily criticised by environmentalists for claiming that ongoing climatic shifts are down to nature and not mankind. But while acknowledging his views on global warming may not be popular, the East Antrim MP said he was not prepared to be bullied by eco fundamentalists. Read more. |
| New energy bills for all property owners |
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 Property owners in Northern Ireland face another bill as new rules are introduced requiring Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) to be drawn up for all sales and rentals. EPCs were introduced in June for homes going on the market and in September for new-builds, but have been brought in for rentals and sales of existing non-dwellings from this week. It marks the completion of the process of phasing-in EPCs, which set a colour-coded energy rating for buildings similar to the colour coding ratings on electrical appliances. Read more. |
| Protests held at George Best airport |
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 Protestors opposed to the extension of the runway at George Best Belfast City Airport held a low-key demonstration outside the terminal on Saturday. A small but determined group of residents picketed the airport for a short time, aiming to highlight the upcoming deadline for objections. A consultation on the application to extend the runway by 600 metres opened last month and closes on St Stephen's Day. Protesters want a public inquiry into the application. Read more. |
| Sweeney to take Causeway battle to court |
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Tycoon Seymour Sweeney is gearing up for a High Court battle over his thwarted plans for a Giant's Causeway visitor centre development. The businessman is seeking a judicial review against the Department of the Environment, over its treatment of his scheme and a rival National Trust application. The legal move represents the latest twist in one of Northern Ireland's longest running and most bitter planning controversies. Read more. |
| More than 200 NI rivers polluted |
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 Three-quarters of Northern Ireland's rivers are polluted beyond acceptable levels, assembly members have heard. In tests conducted between 2005 and 2007, rivers were graded from A to F. Those rated C and under were considered to be below standard. More than 200 were C or below, including Crawfordsburn River, Bloody Bridge River, the Lagan and the Bann. However, the Environment Agency has rejected claims that it is not doing enough to stop pollution. Read more. |
| Northern Ireland tidal turbine breaks world energy record |
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 A tidal stream turbine has broken the world record for generating renewable energy, it was claimed yesterday. Enough electricity for about 1,000 homes was produced by SeaGen at the mouth of Strangford Lough, Co Down, in Northern Ireland. It works like an underwater windmill and is driven by fierce currents around the bottleneck. Read more. |
| Farmers fear EU pesticide rules |
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Farmers say products used safely for years could be banned
Strict new European rules on the use of pesticides are expected to be passed which could "seriously threaten" UK food production, say farmers. The British government opposes the law, expected to be passed on Tuesday, which critics say would cause rising prices. It could wipe out the carrot industry and seriously affect many other crops, the National Farmers' Union has warned. However, the Soil Association backs the EU's bid to cut the use of chemicals it says can cause cancer and infertility. Read more. |
| Scotland prepares to host Europe's first 'dark sky park' |
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 From the car park in the foothills of the Range of the Awful Hand, it is a short walk to what may be the darkest place in the country. Drive up here after sunset and you are unlikely to set eyes on another soul, yet the site is famous among a small group of enthusiasts who come here in the black of night to stand, watch and wonder. The patch of ground in the imposing row of mountains is surrounded by 300 square miles of moorland, woods and lochs that form the rugged wilderness of Galloway Forest Park in southern Scotland, and in a few weeks, officers at the forest will take steps towards making it Europe's first official dark sky park. Read more.
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| Corncrake numbers 'show decline' |
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 The number of corncrakes in Scotland is estimated to have fallen for the first time in a decade, it has been warned. RSPB Scotland said the population of calling males had dropped by about 8%, from 1,236 in 2007 to 1,140 this year. The drop comes despite a successful programme to boost numbers which has seen them steadily rising since 1998. Read more. |
| EEA snapshot of environmental priorities for 2009 |
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Climate change, biodiversity and resource use are among priority issues expected to dominate the EU environmental policy debate this year, according to a report published by the European environment agency (EEA) on Friday.
The report gives a snapshot of eight environment policy areas: global climate change talks, climate adaptation and water, invasive species, air quality, bioenergy, marine management, the common agricultural policy and waste shipments. Read more. |
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Study: Searching Google Damages The Environment |
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Two Google searches produce the same amount of CO2 as bringing water to a boil on your stovetop, according to research from Harvard University. Google claims that the Harvard study is flawed. The Harvard study was first published in British newspaper The Sunday Times. According to the report just carrying out a typical search through Google can generate about 7 grams of carbon dioxide. Alex Wissner-Gross, the Harvard University professor that authored the report, says that even just browsing a basic Website can generate about 0.002g of CO2 for every second it is viewed. Sites with complex video can bring even more CO2 in the atmosphere, somewhere around 0.2g per second. Read more. |
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Tons of Coal Ash Piling Up Across U.S., Analysis Says |
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 Millions of tons of toxic coal ash is piling up in power plant ponds in 32 states, a situation the U.S. government has long recognized as a risk to human health and the environment but has done nothing about.
An Associated Press analysis of the most recent Energy Department data found that 156 coal-fired power plants store ash in surface ponds similar to one that ruptured last month in Tennessee. Yesterday, a pond at a northeastern Alabama power plant spilled a different material - water laced with calcium sulfate, a component of a material known as gypsum - and some lawmakers said the incident was more evidence that Congress needs to overhaul coal waste regulations. More. | |
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