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Just as the Dáil rose for its summer recess, Minister of State for Agriculture Pippa Hackett announced a very short consultation over the traditional August holiday period on the outline of the Draft Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill 2020. This Bill proposes significant changes and limitations to the appeal system for Forestry Licences. Your chance to […]

14 August 2020  IMMEDIATE RELEASE  The consultation process initiated to restrict appeals for forestry decisions must be reconsidered along with the Minister’s priorities to address issues in the forestry system. This is the call from Ireland’s leading environmental coalition, The Environmental Pillar, who have written to the Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity, […]

BirdWatch Ireland, Irish Wildlife Trust, Friends of the Earth, An Taisce, SWAN and the Environmental Pillar make joint call to #BringNatureHome Leading environmental NGOs have expressed disbelief at the new Government’s proposal to move responsibility for nature to the Department of Housing. Before the election, environmental campaigners called for responsibility for nature, water, waste and […]

During the General Election, the Environmental Pillar, a leading environmental coalition of 32 members, published a 10-point blueprint for all parties to show they are serious about turning the tide on climate action and reversing the worrying trend of biodiversity loss in Ireland [1]. We are pleased to see some key critical policy developments that […]

For Immediate Release The Environmental Pillar, a coalition of over 30 national environmental groups, welcomes the prioritisation of the Green New Deal, together with action on climate and biodiversity in the Framework for Government document published by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil on 14 April 2020. A just and fair recovery, which puts communities, nature […]

The Department of Climate Action is seeking views on the development of a new Waste Action Plan as part of the move to a more Circular Economy where resources are kept in use for as long as possible and then recycled or reused at the end of their service life.  The Environmental Pillar welcomes the […]

The Pillar’s detailed submission for the public consultation outlines our members’ core concerns with the proposed legislation, in particular the fact that the Bill proposes to: • Make it near impossible for ordinary people, citizens groups and environmental NGOs to qualify to get into the Court to take a challenge in the first place; [5] […]

Immediate Release Fine Gael proposals to limit access to justice rights for citizens and environmental groups to challenge poor planning decisions is out of line with European and international human rights law, the Environmental Pillar warned today. The comments from Ireland’s largest environmental coalition come as the public consultation on the controversial General Scheme for […]

Immediate Release Ireland leading environmental groups have outlined a 10-point blueprint for election candidates to follow if they are serious about protecting nature and turning the tide on climate in the next Dail. For Election 2020, the Environmental Pillar – a coalition of over 30 national environmental NGOs – is asking candidates to step up […]

In November 2019, the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment open public consultation for views in relation to the proposed introduction of a range of environmental levies. Proposals include a coffee cup levy, a waste recovery levy and increases to the existing plastic bag and landfill levies, aimed at encouraging positive environmental behavioural change […]

IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Government is trying to push through a draconian Bill before next year’s impending election that would kill access to justice rights on environmental issues, warns the Environmental Pillar. The comments from Ireland’s leading environmental coalition come in the wake of the hushed launch on Monday of a very short public consultation over […]

Immediate Release: 4 October 2019 The Government can tackle out of control emissions and fund the just transition to a carbon-free future for Ireland through common-sense environmental taxation, a coalition of environmental groups has said. The Environmental Pillar is calling on the State to adopt four taxes in Budget 2020 that will protect our environment […]

The Stop Climate Chaos Coalition and the Environmental Pillar have carried out a detailed assessment of the Government’s Climate Action Plan and have launched a 20-page “end-of-term” Report on the Government: Will the new Climate Action Plan deliver the revolution the Minister promised? Link to Report: https://tinyurl.com/y58a9jzk Media Release New Climate Action Plan will not bring […]

4 July, 2019 Links to full statements below Unleashing the full potential of the Good Friday Agreement and avoiding a No-Deal scenario are key to protecting the environment on the island of Ireland from the threat posed by Brexit, an Oireachtas Committee heard today. Speaking before the GFA Committee in her peronal capacity, barrister and […]

Immediate Release, 18 June 2019 Environmental coalition welcomes plans to boost ailing funding but still major concerns over biodiversity policy in the new climate plan    The Environmental Pillar has welcomed plans in the new all of government climate plan to examine the bolstering of the ailing Environment Fund, as well as changing consumer and […]

Immediate Release, 25 May 2019 The Green wave across European and local elections is a clear signal that Irish people want urgent action to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises, Ireland’s largest environmental coalition has said. The Environmental Pillar said today that it was a heartening experience for its member organisations to see the Irish […]

July 4th, 2019 Unleashing the full potential of the Good Friday Agreement and avoiding a No-Deal scenario are key to protecting the environment on the island of Ireland from the threat posed by Brexit, an Oireachtas Committee heard today. Speaking before the GFA Committee, barrister and Athlone IT law lecturer Alison Hough said that Brexit […]

Immediate ReleaseA sustainable revamp of State policy to protect nature is vital to tackling the climate and biodiversity crisis, Ireland’s largest environmental coalition told the Government at the National Economic Dialogue this week. The Environmental Pillar – a coalition of over 30 national environmental groups – was represented by several expert members at NED that […]

Immediate Release Plan fails to join dots and see biodiversity protection as a solution to the climate crisis  The new All-of-Government climate plan falls flat on nature protection, insufficiently joining the dots between the biodiversity and climate emergencies facing us, Ireland’s largest environmental coalition said this morning. The Environmental Pillar – a coalition of over […]

Immediate release, 6 June 2019 The Environmental Pillar has welcomed the decision of the EPA to investigate the massive leak of oil from underground ESB cables revealed by a whistleblower within the semi-state body.   The shocking information shown on RTÉ Investigates last night only came to the surface after the whistleblower, Seamus O’Loughlin, made […]

Immediate ReleaseOver 150 citizens are set to gauge where EU election candidates stand on key environmental and climate issues at a public debate in Co Dublin this Friday before polling stations open in May. The sold-out event in the Wynn Hotel in Dublin on Friday, 3 May will see concerned citizens challenge candidates from across […]

Immediate Release Over 100 citizens are set to gauge where EU election candidates stand on key environmental and climate issues at a public debate in Co Leitrim this month before polling stations open in May. The event in the Bush Hotel in Carrick-On-Shannon on Friday, 26 April will see concerned citizens challenge candidates from across […]

Immediate Release It’s vital that citizens voice their concerns to MEP candidates over climate change and biodiversity loss in advance of the European elections, Ireland’s leading environmental coalition has said. The need is even more pressing, the Environmental Pillar said, following the release of a new report today calling out Ireland’s largest parties for their […]

The executive summary of the report is available here:  https://nienvironmentlink.org/cmsfiles/Brexit-GFA-report-SUMMARY.pdf The full report is available here: https://nienvironmentlink.org/cmsfiles/Brexit-GFA-report-FULL.pdf Please see media release below April 16th, 2019 Unleashing the full potential of the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement could address some of the main risks posed by Brexit to the environment of the island of Ireland, a new report […]