Tag: environment

I spoke today in favour of the bill on Wind Turbines, put forward by Sinn Féin. But there are wider issues of democracy at play here, apart from the crucial concerns about global warming. Why did our government give the go-ahead for more oil and gas exploration from our seas? Why doesn’t our government engage properly with the communities affected by proposed wind farms? Why do the laws in Germany for instance, demand that turbines be twice the distance from people’s homes than in Ireland. Could it be because FF and FG are that far up the backsides of the big corporations involved? I wonder.

Historic underfunding of water system by successive Fine Gael and Fianna Fail governments are the reasons for current infrastructure crisis. People Before Profit have outlined a number of measures that could be used to pay for water infrastructure upgrades and water services.

People Before Profit TD and spokesperson on water, Bríd Smith, has said that the blame for the crumbling nature of Ireland’s water infrastructure is down to historic underfunding by successive Fine Gael and Fianna Fail governments.The TD for Dublin South Central made her comments in the wake of the burst pipe in Drogheda which has cut of water to thousands of people in Louth and Meath East.

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I questioned Minister Naughton on the policies that our government pursues that make matters worse, rather than better, in relation to emissions that cause global warming. I asked about transport policies and cows, in particular. The video here shortens some of the waffle I got by way of reply, but the evident lack of joined-up thinking is appalling – and very scary.

Brid Smith TD reports from her committee meeting earlier:  “I’m deeply suspicious about the report on fracking as presented this evening by the EPA and CDM – a company themselves engaged in fracking – to an Oireachteas committee that I’m on. The committee deals with environment and climate change; the Dáil has decided to ban fracking, so why are we now considering how it might be done ‘safely’ ? There is no safe fracking. There is no justification for increasing fossil fuel use. Leave it in the ground.”

 

energypost.eu, March Climate in Rome Italy

While disappointed that my amendments didn’t succeed in changing the new Energy Bill, I am happy that we made some progress on challenging the corporate bias in state agencies like the SEAI (Sustainable energy Agency). The new bill states that people with experience in the fight against climate change and the environment will be sought for board vacancies. I understand there are two vacancies coming up and I would urge all interested from the “Environmental pillar” to apply and see if we can put climate and other environmental issues into the heart of this important state agency.Read more »

Cllr Brid Smith successfully put down a motion at the SOUTH CENTRAL AREA COMMITTEE of DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL today (15th July 2015). The motion was agreed by the committe and  is outlined below. This is just one more event in the long saga of challenging Thorntons who continue to disregard the welfare of local residents. Brid is pledged to continuing the struggle to force this company to clean up their act.

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