This is the original section of the Friend’s website, established in 1997. It continues to record the work of the organisation in a chronological sequence and you can browse its pages or search for a particular subject through the search engine in the upper right hand corner of this page. Click on the 'Read more' to see recent highlights. The site has gone through several upgrades, so if you encounter broken links in the site, use the search engine. 

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??? POISONED RECENTLY???

Did you or someone you know get sick after eating mussels, particularly during March? You are not alone. Please contact us. Strictest confidence assured. Friends of the Irish Environment 027 - 73131 or admin@friendsoftheirishenvironment.net 

FIE has placed the above notice in local and national papers as part of our ongoing investigation into food poising from Irish shellfish. A notice from the RAPID ALERT SYSTEM FOR FOOD AND FEED [RASFF] from the European Commission on April 14 2008 after testing by a customer in France gave this very serious bio-toxin as ‘Azaspiracid Shellfish Poisoning (AZP)’ in ‘precooked frozen mussels from Ireland’. 

FIE is raising the following questions: 

• Why was this alert not notified to the Irish public? 
• Why has nothing been done when the Government was condemned by the European Court of Justice in June of 2007 for its failure to protect the quality of water in areas where shellfish can be harvested and aquaculture licenses outside areas designated for this activity remain valid? 
• Why is aqauaculture harvesting continuing in areas that do not meet EU water quality standards and why are sites not closed when by the Marine Institute’s own Protocol and published testing result it appears they should be closed?  
• Why are producers responsible for taking the samples for analysis? 
• Were the mussels identified by the RASFF Alert harvested when a notice prohibiting harvesting was in place?
• Read our [unpublished] letter to the Irish Times highlighting the fact that they failed to correctly identity the very serious bio-toxin AZA when they knew it was the subject of the Alert.

The story continues to break as the Sunday Times covers the recall finally issued by the food and saftey authority more than 18 days after the RASFF Alert - and now that the fulll extent of public danger can not be concealed as Aldi Supermarkets issue a warning about the mussels, supplied to them and reimported into Ireland.

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Speaking at the University College Cork Law Department's conference on ‘Enforcing European Community Environmental Law' last Thursday, FIE has called for a revision of the legislation that prevents ‘access to a review' to challenge planning decisions under the Strategic Infrastructure and Roads Acts.

FIE quotes High Court Justice Kelly's comment that ‘it is not to credit of this state that it has failed to give effect to its legal obligations' under EU law.

FIE also quotes Justice Clarke's subsequent judgement in which he says that he is ‘satisfied that it might well be necessary to have regard to the requirements of the Directive that there be ‘wide access to justice'. Clarke goes even further and says that in order to provide means of reviewing environmental decisions it may well be necessary to go beyond the ‘existing jurisprudence'.

The presentation also highlights the excuses given by Cork and Mayo Councils in not enforcing quarry registration conditions - that the law does not give them the authority to do so - which we are referring to the Minister for the Environment.

This paper will be updated shortly to incorporate the discussions which took place during the conference.

Read the paper in our library.

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Kerry's Mayor Michael Healy-Rae's call for the Kerry slug to ‘go to hell' has been met with a vigorous response from FIE. FIE submitted a report to the Minister for the Environment in February of last year which, with many other representations, led to the Minister instructing the NRA to seek a route for the N22 that would avoid Cascade Woods, a habitat for many species, including the protected Kerry slug.

Speaking to Radio Kerry about the delay, Healy-Rae said ‘Its about time that we got our priorities right and leave the snails go to hell and mind our people.'

In fact the Route Selection Report stated that restrictions resulting from an ongoing dispute between the Irish Farmers Association and the National Roads Authority led to landowners denying access to farmland to undertake survey work for the proposed road.

If the survey had taken place the route could have been shifted, allowing both the woodland and the road to coexist. In this case and in the case of other road projects like the Kildare By-pass there has been a wholly unjustified and deliberate attempt to stigmatise species like slugs and snails when the real issue is the preservation of Ireland's fast-vanishing natural heritage.

Read our Press release

Interview on Radio Kerry

Report on Cascade Woods

See also the report on the Kildare Bypass and ‘the snail'

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FIE has responded to the Chairman of the Federation of Irish Fishermen's Michael Walsh's claim that ‘fishermen are being pursued like criminals and risk prosecution for trying to make a living' because of the ‘minefield of legislation'. In fact, Irish vessels landed more than 40,000 tons of mackerel through secret pipes under the quays at two Scottish ports between 2001 - and 2005, resulting in cuts in Ireland's quota. Two large Irish trawlers were apprehended unloading a huge catch of mackerel into a fleet of 20 lorries waiting at a west of Ireland quayside in 2005. Each lorry was driven by a number of people in sequence to break the chain of evidence and make prosecution impossible. The ‘blue box' used to track by satellite the movement of the fishing vessels had been tampered with and showed the location of the vessels as 25 miles off the Irish coast. This is organized crime.

See our Press Release

Read the Letter

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The planning approval of the proposed Kerry LNG terminal is a missed opportunity for Ireland.

The recent approval of a Floating Storage Regasification Unit in Long Island Sound in the United States points the future way for safer and more environmentally friendly liquid gas storage and treatment. In approving the American project, the authorities have noted that the distance from the shoreline and so from population centers reduces the risk of accidents, environmental pollution and terrorist attacks.

The Kerry site on the busy Shannon River and the 30 kilometer pipeline poses great environmental and safety threats that offshore terminals avoid. It is to be regretted that the Irish authorities have approved this outdated project.

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As an awareness raising initiative and in influencing behavioral change by consumers, the introduction of a plastic bag levy in 2003 has been an unprecedented success. It has achieved what the European Commission has often stated is that most difficult of objects - to change individual's behavior.

Prior to the introduction of the levy it is estimated that over 1.2 billion plastic bags were given out annually in Ireland - roughly 328 bags per capita per year. When the levy was introduced in 2002 this fell to 21 bags per capita.

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In its submission to the Biodiversity Action Plan 2008 - 2012, FIE is seeking to have the educational awareness funding targeted at conflict areas in the nature designation process. A recent EU poll showed that Ireland ranked last in awareness of biodiversity throughout the EU.

These designations and the protection they afford are the primary concern of the European Commission's fights against species loss - yet pressure by farmers and land owners unaware of the importance of biodiversity has led to cutbacks in designations.

Read the Press Release

Read the Submission

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FIE has welcomed the intervention of the Dutch authorities in impounding 6 containers of farm plastic waste from Ireland. The waste is a vector for animal disease and invasive plant material. See the Sunday Times story today.

The material is heavily contaminated to the point where British Polyethylene Industries (BPI) in Scotland have told FIE that is was necessary to impose a surcharge on Irish farm plastic because of its excessive contamination, which included not only dead animals but the motor of a Ford Anglia.

 However, to date the Irish authorities have considered it ‘green list' waste and have not subject it to any export controls, in spite of representations from FIE and others. See our (unanswered) Letter to the Minister for the Environment.

Exported to Asia and China, bales of contaminated plastic are swung into rivers where - for example - a worker with a machete slashes them to allow the river water to clean them before recycling.

FIE is supporting MEP Caroline Lewis's call for an investigation

by the Commission.

It is calling on John Gormley to address these concerns and to give the full figures about this plastic waste. One Irish yard is reported to contain 15,000 tons of soiled farm plastics and shipments are alleged to have continued by road as late as last week.

Press Release.

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English MEP Caroline Lucas has set the cat amongst the pigeons by tabling an EU Parliamentary Question about the trans-boundary movements of farm plastics.

The material is heavily contaminated and a vector for animal disease and invasive plant material. See our Press Release. However, to date the Irish authorities have considered it ‘green list' waste and have not subject it to any export controls, in spite of representations from FIE and others. See our (unanswered) Letter to the Minister for the Environment.

Documents FIE has seen reveal that at the end of 2007 the Department admitted that they had ‘little or no' ‘Certificates of Disposal' which ensure the material goes to ‘an environmentally safe outlet' as stipulated by the EU Trans Frontier Shipment Regulations. Under Article 40, it is now the responsibility of the exporting country to ensure that the final destination of waste is environmentally safe.

FIE understands that thousands of tons of this contaminated waste is currently awaiting export - some brought by legitimate companies under contract to Local Authorities to unauthorized sites. The MEP's intervention requires the Commission to investigate - which is turning the spotlight on Ireland.

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FIE has written to European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas seeking the extension of Star Energy ratings to televisions. Through a loophole in the law, television are not required to show their power consumption yet huge modern plasma TVs can require many times the power of traditional TVs.

If half of British home owners bought a plasma-screen TV, two nuclear power stations would have to be built to meet the extra energy demand - some 2.5 gigawatts.

FIE's letter to the European Commissioner points out that conservation must be the cornerstone of government's policy but that without proper information, the consumer will be unable to play his part and member states like Ireland are unable to introduced minimum standards.

Press Release
Letter to the Commissioner

Q102 Radio interview

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FIE has joined with An Taisce, the National Trust and the Irish Peatland Conservation Council [IPCC] to protest against the grant of planning permission for a 100MW peat and mixed fuel power plant.

An Taisce and the IPCC have appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanala while FIE has raised concerns with the Minister for Natural Resources Eamon Ryan that the decision is stated to be on the basis of government policy when we had thought government policy was opposed to new peat-fired generating capacity.

FIE has also queried the European Commission to determine their position and if they have been notified about this proposal and its potential impact on the National Allocations Program for Ireland's carbon emissions.

According to the EPA, more than 23 million tons of carbon were lost in the 10 years from 1990 - 2000 from peat extraction for combustion in Ireland - and that's without considering the impact on the environment through burning a fossil fuel more polluting than coal

In County Mayo only 29% of the original peatlands remain.

Read the joint Press Release.

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FIE has lodged an objection which supports the professional planning staff about the planning application to replace Tralee’s Ballybeggan Racecourse with a mixed commercial, industrial, and residential development  At a pre-planning meeting the planning staff tried to explain to the developers that the site is zoned for amenity and a grant of permission would breach the County’s Development Plan. The planners told the developer that ‘in its present form the proposal contravenes the zoning of the land’ and yet the developers continued irregardless. Why? The application states that as the land is not zoned for planning they are not required to provide social and affordable housing under the Planning Act - saving them €20m - €25m.

The racecourse serves dual purposes. ‘It is a valuable amenity not only for horse lovers – and the support of rural community life - but as a unique 100 acre limestone grassland enclosed by a historically important wall it is providing habitat for a range of biodiversity, including birds such as the protected and increasingly rare skylark.  

See our Press Release.

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Friends of the Irish Environment is writing to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin questioning the first trade deal to be announced by the Minister in South Africa.

Harte Peat sells ‘deeply-dug wet peat' which is used as a base for growing mushrooms. The Minister has announced distribution for this product with a local partner company that will see Irish peat distributed through out South Africa.

It is now bidding to expand its markets in Africa into Mozambique to provide Irish peat which can be used to soak up oil pollution.

FIE says that ‘The Minister's description of peat as "an environmentally friendly product" shows a profound ignorance of the causes of climate change which the Cabinet is supposed to be addressing.'

The amount of peat extraction that is happening outside of Bord na Mona landholdings for horticulture compost and the consequent loss of carbon sink must be fully addressed by the Minister before the Government encourages deals like this.'

See our Press Release

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Recent actions relating to the construction of the M3 motorway through the Tara/Skryne Valley reveal the Irish Government to be in direct contravention of both Agenda 21 and the World Heritage Convention.

We the undersigned urgently call upon the United Nations to intervene, and to demand that the Irish Government halt work on the M3. It is imperative that an alternative route and plan be examined, one that does not cut through this heritage site of international importance, and one that is in accordance with the principles of Agenda 21and the World Heritage Convention.

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The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Paddy Bourke, has welcomed the council's endorsement of his motion seeking to support Earth Hour 2008.

Lord Mayor Burke said: "Earth Hour is an international campaign and Dublin is one of the latest cities to get behind this important event where on March 29th all non-essential lights will be switched off for an hour.

"This campaign is important and everyone from citizens up to Government has a duty to do what they can against global warming. It is up to us all to do what we can to reduce our CO2 emissions. Through one simple action, turning off our lights for an hour, we can deliver a powerful message about the need for action.

"I am thrilled that as Dublin Lord Mayor I will be leading our capital city in its participation in this international event. It was estimated during the Sydney Earth Hour last night demand for electricity dropped by 10 per cent. It would be fantastic if we could do the same in Dublin.

I would urge businesses and homes to join in and take part in the campaign." 

Read Metro's story on this

FIE is assisting in coordinating Earth Hour here in Ireland. Please contact us if you would like to be put in touch with others who are working on Earth Hour 2008.

Listen to FIE outline the project on RTE 1 Radio's Mooney Program.

Visit the international Earth Hour website.

See FIE's Irish Website Earth Hour Homepage.

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The rush of development has resulted in many out of scale multiple coastal developments that are visually intrusive and can not be supported by the infrastructure – and no where more so than in the picturesque village of Union Hall in County Cork. Here, ther Council has even given permission for an estate that blocks the long promised ‘relief road’ which would at least help the inevitable traffic congestion that comes with run-away development.

Read the appeal.

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The environmental lobby group Friends of the Irish Environment will be appealing to the Minister for the Environment to draft legislation to protect Irish soils after yesterday's defeat of the proposed Soils Directive by the European Council of Ministers.

‘Germany, the UK, Austria and the Netherlands all have stringent national legislation protection soils and on these grounds they opposed this seminal directive despite the proposal having the support of 22 of the bloc's 27 member states.'

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Relocating the first proposed Irish Liquid Natural Gas [LNG] terminal from the Shannon to near the Kinsale Gas field must be considered, FIE has told the Planning Appeals Board. The European Seveso Directive requires safety distances that are greater than that provided from nearby centres of populations on the Shannon.

Further, the existing gas pipeline from the Kinsale field to Inch could be used, eliminating entirely the need for the proposed new 25 kilometer pipeline required at the Shannon location.

Storage could also be provided at the Kinsale field which would mean LNG could be used provide at least a quarter of national gas demand or be sufficient entirely for the Cork area.

Consideration in the EIS of off shore sites did not include the Kinsale gas field first suggested by scientists at the International Conference of Renewable Energy in Maritime Island Climate in Dublin in 2006.

 NEW! Resident's protest site

Oral Hearing Announced: 21 January 2008, Tralee, Co. Kerry

• Our Press release
• Our submission
• The 2006 Paper suggesting this location which was never considered by the developers
• And the resident's concerns in the Irish Times...

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