The amendments made to the Climate Bill on Friday have altered the character and ethos of the Bill, radically shifting the emphasis from the scientific to the political. We now call on the Dáil to pass the Bill without the amendments. Read more
An Taisce is looking to recruit three new Board members. We are looking for a specialist in environmental law, a specialist in governance and a specialist in PR/communications. Read more
We are disappointed at today’s decision. The application to appeal was based on the firm conviction, supported by advice, legal and scientific, that the High Court judgement rejecting the judicial review of the An Bord Pleanála decision on the Belview cheese plant raised points of law that are of exceptional public importance and which are therefore essential to appeal in the public interest. Read more
An Taisce has confirmed its intention to seek leave to appeal the recent decision of the High Court dismissing its challenge against the decision of An Bord Pleanála to grant planning permission for the development of a cheese processing plant. Read more
The EPA released the Water Quality in 2020 report on 14 July, indicating that nearly half of our rivers and a third of lakes are failing to meet their environmental quality standards for nutrients, with serious consequences for the health of Irish waters. Read more
Following criticism regarding problematic last minute amendments made to the new Climate Bill on Friday, Minister Eamon Ryan admitted on Tuesday evening that there was a drafting oversight in the original Bill. Crucially, this error undermines the credibility of the Friday amendments. An Taisce now awaits a further Government amendment that we hope will take the radical steps needed to ensure the Bill is scientifically, legally and democratically robust. Read more
Despite the vast amounts of EU taxpayers’ cash being poured into agriculture, including over €100 billion earmarked to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the sector in the last seven years, the new report from the European Court of Auditors has confirmed that agricultural emissions have not come down at all since 2010. Read more
While previous reporting indicated that our total ammonia emissions were already in breach of EU thresholds, this is now recognised as a serious undercount. New EPA data highlight that the State has been non-compliant for 7 out of the last 9 years, driven by growth of the agriculture sector. Read more
The death has occurred on May 4, 2021 in London of Paddy Rossmore, aged 90. He made a distinguished contribution to Irish life and society. In 2020 he donated the main remaining portion of the Rossmore family landholding of 2,300 acres, Sliabh Beagh, straddling the border of counties Monaghan and Tyrone to An Taisce to maintain for posterity for nature protection and amenity. Read more
An Bord Pleanála has upheld the decision of Dublin City Council in granting permission for the subdivision of the Protected Structure, in which the James Joyce story “The Dead“ was set, to a 54-bed tourist hostel (reduced from 56) Read more
An Taisce is now considering the judgment to determine if there are grounds which warrant an application for leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal or for an application to the Supreme Court. Read more
The Department of Agriculture have published their Agri-Food 2030 Strategy outlining the objectives for the agri-food sector for the next decade. An Taisce will carefully consider the final draft to ascertain if the fundamental failures which we previously identified have been addressed. Read more
Out of respect for the court and the ongoing legal proceedings as part of the planning process for a large Glanbia cheese plant in Co. Kilkenny, An Taisce will not make any further comment on the case until the matter is decided. Read more
An Taisce considers the revised Climate Action Bill to be a significant improvement on the initial draft. The key need now is for urgent action in the short term to accelerate the changes necessary towards a post-carbon society Read more
Enhancing the amenity of the Phoenix National Historic Park for health and wellbeing, recreational amenity and for nature Read more
An Taisce welcomes the decision of the Environmental Pillar, of which An Taisce is an active member, to resign from the Agri-Food 2030 Committee. We join the Pillar in denouncing the strategy produced by this committee as entirely inadequate to meet the social and environmental challenges facing us. Read more
Ireland has much to lose if the Investor Court System is setup with impacts for health, environment, equality and employment standards. Read more
This proposal by the ESB to close the Georgian House museum at Fitzwilliam Street would represent the loss of a thirty-year-old heritage and cultural visitor attraction and educational resource for the city Read more
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing have launched their report on the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill based on their pre-legislative scrutiny. An Taisce welcomes the strong recommendations in this report, many of which directly address the concerns raised by An Taisce and others. Read more
Today’s Pre-Legislative Scrutiny on the draft of the Climate Bill 2020 by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Climate Action makes important recommendations to help shore up what has been widely criticised as a flawed and problematic Climate Bill. Read more
Thanks to extensive research by our Galway City Association, An Taisce has submitted a detailed report to the EPA on the ongoing wastewater treatment issues in Galway City. The report is based on analysis of multiple incidences of untreated wastewater being discharged into the River Corrib and the Galway Bay SAC in recent years. Read more
The EPA released the Water Quality in 2019 report today, indicating that over one third of rivers and a quarter of lakes are failing to meet their environmental quality standards for nutrients, with serious consequences for the health of Irish waters. Read more
At Saturday’s extraordinary general meeting of An Taisce, members across the country expressed outrage that such an important matter would be rushed through the Dail. They called for TDs to postpone the vote to ratify the agreement which would mean Ireland would be saying yes to the investment protection mechanism and called for the Government to allow proper time for public debate and scrutiny. Read more
An Taisce has a number of concerns about the current SHD application by Fruitmarket Partnership to construct 506-bed co-living scheme in blocks of 9 to 14 storeys in height at Halston Street, Little Green Street and Mary's Lane, Dublin 7, within a historic industrial area and adjacent to the landmark redbrick 1892 Fruit and Vegetable Market. Read more