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

It is important to also recognize the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum.

The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation.

They have seen their land steadily devoured by settlements and plagued by violence; their economy stifled; their people displaced and their homes demolished. Their hopes for a political solution to their plight have been vanishing.

But the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas. And those appalling attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people. read full story / add a comment

New York State lawmakers extended their legislative session into the weekend as a vote on the New York Taxpayer and International Debt Crises Protection Act remains pending. read full story / add a comment

Largest New York Labor and Religious Groups Support the New York Taxpayer and International Debt Crises Protection Act read full story / add a comment

Global Growth Remains Low Amidst Debt Concerns, War and Inflation, Says IMF 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

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 -

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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.

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The world still applauds the great effort that our government made in advocating negotiations for peace that led to a settlement, and the 1998 Good Friday Agreement on this island.

So why is our present government, rejecting neutrality, and refusing to lead the campaign for negotiations for peace to end the horrific Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Instead, we are parroting pro-western/NATO war propaganda, that Ukraine can win this war, with more weapons, and that at the same time we can help destroy the Russian economy. 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

This is the address of of former Vatican Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Carlo Viganò, in his declaration on Monday. Wh is it published here. Because it matters that even the official church denounces the tactics of Biden and NATO who provoke this war and are doing everything possible to give moral support to the Neo Nazis so as to prolong the war as long as possible for their own objectives.

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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.
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JUDICIAL REVIEW CLAIMS ALTERNATIVE PLAN TO €10M DURSEY ISLAND CABLE CAR NEVER ASSESSED

An Bord Pleanála’s decision to approve a €10m visitors centre and cable car for Dursey Island in west Cork may face a Judicial Review after Friends of the Irish Environment [FIE] were given permission today by High Court Justice Niamh Hyland to bring an application on 31 January, 2022. 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.’

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Two hundred countries finalized an agreement during COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland to limit global warming. In 2009, developed countries promised $100 billion of annual climate funding to developing countries by 2020. According to the OECD, funding estimates will not be met before 2023. The agreement expresses regret about the missed finance target and calls for increasing support for developing countries. read full story / add a comment

Ingested fluoride, neither a nutrient nor essential, is ineffective at reducing tooth decay and is harmful to health. Yet, it is added to drinking water. But modern science proves fluoride gets into the brain, where it was never inteneded, which is lilnked to kids lower IQ 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.

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