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 opportunity to make a submission …
Housing and Planning and Development Bill 2019
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] [6] • Make the court …
Draconian Fine Gael policy would kill access to justice rights
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 the Housing and Planning and …
General Election: 10 point blueprint for a climate and nature friendly future
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 and take action to avert …
Submission on Proposed Environmental Levies
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 and climate action. Please find …
Environmentalists raise alarm over access to justice killing legislation
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 the holiday period on the …
Minister Creed must end overfishing or risk fisheries closures
November 27th, 2019 IMMEDIATE RELEASE Inaction to ensure sustainable fishing levels has created a situation where significant cuts in quotas and even closure of fisheries must now be considered to meet the EU’s binding 2020 deadline to end overfishing. This is the warning from the Environmental Pillar in a submission to the Department of Marine (DAFM) to feed into Ireland’s …
Environmental groups outline shock at proposed planning Bill
IMMEDIATE RELEASEIreland’s leading environmental coalition is shocked at the Minister for Housing’s attempt to press for new planning legislation that would make it near impossible to challenge planning decisions in the courts and hold public authorities and the Government to account. The Environmental Pillar – a coalition of national environmental organisations – learned over the weekend of worrying developments with …
Budget 2020: Climate ambition still lacking
Immediate Release Ireland’s largest environmental coalition has said it is disappointed that Budget 2020 has failed to show the level of urgency required to deal with the climate emergency we are facing, While there were some positives (discussed below), the Environmental Pillar – which had called for a €20 bump in the carbon tax – said that it is concerned …
Budget 2020: Four steps to fund a Green New Deal for Ireland
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 and health, tackle escalating emissions …
