Following the defeat of the Nice Treaty referendum, Ireland committed that our Defence Forces would only be sent overseas where approved by (i) the Government (ii) the Dáil and (iii) the United Nations.

Known as the “Triple Lock”, this commitment made in Seville, Spain, was a key argument in favour of accepting the Nice Treaty in the second referendum. (It also reaffirmed the position set out in the Defence Act 1960.) ... read full story / add a comment

MEDIA RELEASE: Explosive Allegations of Systematic Fraud Unearthed in Land Registry and Courts - Mattie McGrath TD

Mattie McGrath TD, leader of the Rural Independent Group of TDs, has made shocking revelations regarding what he believes to be systematic fraud within the Land Registry and the Irish courts. These allegations, including perjury, misrepresentation, and a conspiracy to defraud Irish citizens of their homes, farms, and properties, have come to light through a series of comprehensive documents prepared by Edmund Honohan, The Master of the High Court and addressed to all TDs and Senators. Deputy McGrath has himself reached out to all TDs and Senators, highlighting the serious issues at hand. ... read full story / add a comment

Judicial Review demonstrates need for access to Courts
Dursey Island Case shows draconian targeting of environmental defenders a serious mistake

The High Court today approved a final Court Order quashing permission for the €10m Dursey Island mass tourism project. The Judicial Review, taken by Friends of the Irish Environment, was conceded by the Council on 23 September, 2022, stating that ‘it does not intend to pursue the proposed development at issue in the proceedings’.  ... read full story / add a comment

Hi folks. So many people were very disappointed not to been able to attend the Health Conference Ireland 2022 in August this year. As a result of this and the fact that the landscape around spike protein injuries and illness is constantly evolving, we are holding 3 events this month: Cork on the 8th, Galway on 16th and Meath 22nd Nov. This is Part 2 of the conference where Irish and US Drs will present new findings, have a panel discussion protocols and the audience can participate in the Q&A (which didn’t happen in August). It is also a great opportunity to meet like minded ppl and build local networks. Tea/coffee and a light supper will be provided. ... read full story / add a comment

This press release is from Aug 31st but has gone unnoticed in mainstream

The IAWM condemns Minister for Defence Simon Coveney’s decision to support the proposal by EU Ministers to train Ukraine’s military and to possibly “contribute a small number of military personnel” from Ireland as reported in the Irish Times today -

... read full story / add a comment

Ennis Data Centre’s 66 gas generators ‘threat to Local Health’ – expert

Ennis Data Centre will add ‘nearly 1%’ to Ireland’s nitrous oxide emissions

A gas plant consisting of 66 generators required under the planning permission for the Ennis data centre is a ‘threat to local health’, the public will be told at a forthcoming Press Conference.

Organised by members of the local community as well as an alliance of local and national environmental groups, Professor David Carpenter of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany will outline the effects of the 66 diesel generators that are required for the data centre backup power. According to the environmental impact report (EPIR) submitted by the applicant during the planning process, nearly 1% of Ireland’s total nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions are predicted to come from this development. ... read full story / add a comment

Clare County Council Decision to Approve 66 Diesel Generators for Data Centre 'Threatens Ennis Residents Health'

Ennis Data Centre and Gas Plant ‘totally unsustainable’

‘The plans to build one of the largest data centres in the country here in Ennis brings with it an additional threat to the health of people here as the plans include a gas burning plant that will only make the air quality here worse than it already is, leading to asthma and other respiratory problems.’

Despite the concerns of local residents, multiple environmental groups, as well as Eirgrid , Clare county council has made the abhorrent decision to give planning permission to an unknown company (Art Data Centres Ltd.) to construct a data centre on the Tulla Rd, Ennis which will consume as much electricity as 200,000 homes and emit 657,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.

... read full story / add a comment

Video urges Bord na Mona to ‘do better’ on bog restoration
€108m Bord na Mona rehabilitation questioned in East Galway bog video

A video of a bog restored last year by Bord na Móna in East Galway published by the environmental defenders Friends of the Irish Environment [FIE] urges Bord na Móna to ‘Do Better’ in its bog restoration program. ... read full story / add a comment

Legal first: European Court of Justice must decide if ministers broke law with unsustainable fishing limits

In a legal first in the history of fisheries, the Court of Justice of the European Union has been called on to decide if EU ministers have illegally set unsustainable fishing limits. ... read full story / add a comment

INVITE TO VIRTUAL EU WIDE PESTICIDES PRESS CONFERENCE TOMORROW MORNING AT 9 AM

IRELAND’S OPPOSITION TO DIRECT TRANSMISSION OF FARMERS PESTICIDES RECORDS TO BE CHALLENGED.

Friends of the Irish Environment, Pesticides Action Network [PAN] Europe members, GLOBAL 2000 and ClientEarth, invite you to a press conference to present our new findings on the Regulation on Statistics on Agricultural Input and Output [SAIO] on Wednesday, February 2, 2022, 9.00 AM Irish time.
... read full story / add a comment

Doctors, Medics, Comedy and Song Thank You Show for Frontline Workers

Ireland’s legendary Battle of the Axe open mic comedy and song night is back with an ONLINE open mic Thank You Show to frontline workers donating all gig profits to heroesaid.ie

Following on from its very successful, first online nationwide show in September 2021 as part of Culture Night Ireland, Battle of the Axe is delighted to back with its first online show of the new year on January 28, 2022. Highlighted at No 9 out of 1200 events for Culture Night, the show delivered a splendid night of comedy and song. Now the club wishes to turn their next gig into a thank you night for frontline workers around Ireland and worldwide online. ... read full story / add a comment

Irish High Court hears EU overfishing challenge

Court hears failure to end overfishing breaches Common Fisheries Policy

European fishing quotas are being challenged before the Irish High Court this week after Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) lodged a Judicial Review in June 2020.

According to the conservation charity, ‘setting unsustainable fishing quotas goes against the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, which contained a legal obligation to end overfishing by 2020. Yet the national regulations implement EU quotas which are consistently above the scientific recommendations.’

... read full story / add a comment

Objection claims prospecting company failed to liaise with Leitrim farmers and landowners

An objection to the granting of prospecting licenses to Flintridge Resources Ltd in County Leitrim includes 12 letters from potentially affected farmers and landowners claiming that there ‘has been no liaison’, let alone the ‘full consideration and close liaison with relevant landowners and regulatory authorities’ required by the Department’s Guidance for Good Environmental Practice in Mineral Exploration.

... read full story / add a comment

SALMON FARM’S 80,000 MORTALITIES ‘PARTLY CAUSE BY FARMS THEMSELVES’

FISH FARM CLAIM THAT ALGAE BLOOMS ARE ‘NATURAL’ CONTESTED AS 80,000 SALMON DIE

Mass mortalities reported by Mowi (formerly Marine Harvest) because of algae blooms at two of their salmon farms in Bantry Bay are ‘partly caused the farms themselves’, according to local group Save Bantry Bay.

Algal blooms are becoming an increasing problem worldwide, with salmon farms in Chile reporting losses recently of 6,000 tons of fish. The recent death of 80,000 mature salmon at two of Mowi’s sites in Bantry Bay is said by the company to be as a result of a toxic algal bloom in late October. The true extent of the losses has not been fully established yet. The deaths have occurred only a few kilometres from the controversial proposed new mega-salmon farm site at Shot Head. ... read full story / add a comment

Less than half the number of signatures required from Ireland [1] to join in a European Citizens' Initiative on controlling pesticides have been gathered with less than one month left to meet the quota.

The Initiative seeks the goal of a 50% reduction phasing out the use pesticides by 2030. ... read full story / add a comment

Handbook on Marine Protection Areas published as audiobook
Listen to Marine Protection Areas ‘while doing the dishes’

An extensive Report on the status of Marine Protection Areas [MPAs] in Ireland has been made available on line both as a pdf and an audiobook from the library of the website of Friends of the Irish Environment [FIE]. A new 'MPA' tab on the organisation's Home Page gives direct access to the publication, which is being made available for no charge. ... read full story / add a comment

This statement was released by the Irish Nurses for Transparency and Openness, INFTO on July 21st but as their website was not ready until recently it was deferred till now. However it turns out even from the initial limited press release INFTO say they have been contacted by more than 200 nurses and healthcare workers since their inception last month.

In context, it ought to be noted that a total of 82 deaths and 13,529 suspected side effects have been reported to the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) up to August 3, according to its latest report here although it is to be noted these figures at best only capture a small fraction of the vaccine deaths and injuries.

The INFTO is a group of concerned nurses and healthcare workers from across Ireland. We would like to raise concerns about a number of issues that have taken place in our healthcare facilities since March 2020.

... read full story / add a comment

Opponents to Bantry Bay Fish Farm ‘Gutted’

A spokesman for the conservation charity Friends of the Irish Environment, which is based on the Beara peninsula where a proposed 18 cage salmon farm is to be located, said this morning they were ‘gutted’ by the decision. ... read full story / add a comment

At the Cheshire Elite Marathon running competition, Aoife Cooke won the women’s race in a time of 2 hours, 28 minutes and 36 seconds, qualifying her to compete in the Tokyo Olympic Games. ... read full story / add a comment

Call on GAA to quantify pesticides use for International Bee Day
Mayo GAA pitch cited to County Council as breaching pesticides guidelines on International Bee Day

The environmental charity Friends of the Irish Environment [FIE] have written to Liam McCarthy, the GAA President, citing the use of pesticides at a Mayo GAA pitch and asking him to quantify the use of pesticides on GAA grounds and to ensure users have been trained to the standard required by the legislation. ... read full story / add a comment