News

16 September 2013: The Environmental Pillar, a coalition of 26 national environmental groups, is casting serious doubts on the findings of a report commissioned by the Minister for Agriculture on the environmental impacts of Food Harvest 2020. The Environmental Pillar is calling for a commitment from government to re-assess its Food Harvest 2020 policy which […]

12 September 2013: The Environmental Pillar is extremely disappointed at Environment Minister Phil Hogan’s announcement today that he will not go ahead with either a packaging levy or a container deposit and return scheme. ‘We’re very disappointed at the Minister’s decision,’ said Mindy O’Brien, spokesperson for the Environmental Pillar. ‘A properly constructed packaging levy won’t […]

In just 2 days time, the Plenary Assembly of the European Parliament will make its final vote on the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive. This is a crucial opportunity to convince our MEPs to support proposed amendments that will make environmental impact assessments mandatory for proposed fracking operations across the EU. Earlier this year, the Parliament’s Environment, […]

The Environmental Pillar welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Development of a National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland. We offer the following comments which we believe will be helpful in developing an holistic National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development. The incorporation of sustainability into all aspects of life is essential, […]

The Environmental Pillar held a meeting of its Local Environmental Representatives in Dublin on Saturday to discuss the proposed Local Government realignment. The well attended meeting was opened by Michael Ewing, Co-ordinator of the Environmental Pillar. Maura Walsh, CEO of IRD Duhallow also addressed the meeting and gave a presentation on the work of IRD […]

The Environmental Pillar welcomes the opportunity to comment on the preparation of the Seafood Development Programme 2014-2020. We offer the following comments which we believe will be helpful in directing the programme towards the establishment of an industry, capable of supporting coastal communities, low-impact fishing and employment in processing. The Programme must be based on […]

On 25 July 2013 the Environmental Pillar sent this letter to Minister Deenihan in response to shocking comments made by Councillor Sheahan as reported in the Limerick Leader. There is no longer an online version of the Limerick Leader’s article, however you can still see a scan of a printed version, and the text, on this […]

Abstract The Action Plan for Jobs 2012 includes a commitment to produce a Green Economy Plan during the third quarter of 2012. This paper asserts that all policy oriented towards the creation of employment should be in the context of a green economy. It offers working definitions for a green economy, and for green jobs, […]

10 July 2013: The Environmental Pillar is strongly critical of Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney bringing forward the mowing date for the traditional hay meadow option within the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS). AEOS pays farmers to delay mowing of traditionally managed hay meadows until 15 July to allow the diversity of plant species to set seed, […]

This document is a compilation of the headlines of all Environmental Pillar Policies to date. Each policy is linked to its source document. This document is intended to be updated periodically. This version of the Consolidated Policy Document is up to date as of November 2012. Environmental Pillar Consolidated Policy Document Nov 2012 (Pub Date […]

The Environmental Pillar produced this submission in response to the government’s outline Heads of a Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill.  

13 June 2013: In reaction to a speech that Minister Rabbitte gave to over 70 companies yesterday, where he championed the benefits of further fossil fuel exploration around Ireland’s coasts, Environmental Pillar spokesperson Michael Ewing said: “We are very concerned that Minister Rabbitte is acting as a cheerleader for fossil fuel exploration in the seas […]

We acknowledge that a number of our comments have been taken on board in the second draft and we are glad that the Department found them useful. In addition, we note that others haven’t been taken on board and we hope that we can discuss these issues further with the Department in the future. Given […]

Statement from the Environmental Pillar, 5 June 2013: The Environmental Pillar welcomes Ireland’s participation in the Climate and Clean Air Coalition. We agree that air pollution and climate change need to be addressed in an integrated manner. Pollutants such as black carbon have a major impact on the climate as well as human health. We […]

31 May 2013 Dear Minister Coveney, (cc. Minister Hogan) During the month of May you issued c.35 Aquaculture licences for the Castlemaine Harbour in Co Kerry. As you know, under  S.I. No. 309/2003 — Sea-Fishing Boat Licensing Appeals (Fees) Regulations 2003, anyone other than the applicant wishing to appeal against the issuing of these licences […]

15 May 2013: The Environmental Pillar, a coalition of 26 national environmental organisations, is calling for key reforms to Ireland’s bioenergy policy. The benefits of these reforms would be felt in many rural communities in terms of long-term investment and job creation. Without these reforms, Ireland will struggle to meet its renewable energy targets without […]

Although reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are the primary driver for bioenergy policies, the full life cycle emissions of forms of different bioenergy are not yet fully understood but are known to vary dramatically. Even where biofuels are grown on land already in cultivation, this can lead to the displacement of food crops and other […]

Environmental Pillar calls on the Government to reassess badger culling for TB control in cattle 23 April 2013: The Environmental Pillar, a coalition of 26 national environmental groups in Ireland, is calling on the Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin, to reassess the logic behind badger […]

10 April 2013: The Environmental Pillar, a coalition of 26 Irish environmental organisations, is calling on Minister Hogan to show leadership in improving air quality across the EU during the Irish presidency period. This call comes in the lead-up to an Informal Council of EU Environment Ministers in Dublin on Monday 22 April, when Minister […]

Re: Upcoming discussion on “air quality and urban environment” during the meeting of the Informal Council of European Union’s (EU) Environment Ministers of Monday 22 April 2013 9th April 2013 Dear Minister Hogan We are writing to you in view of the upcoming Informal Council of EU Environment Ministers of Monday 22 April to ask […]

20 March 2013: The Environmental Pillar is calling on the Government to reverse its plan to sell public forest assets. Andrew St Ledger, a spokesperson for the Environmental Pillar, said, “This plan makes no sense on economic, social or environmental grounds. There are multiple benefits to be had from extending our woodlands; these include carbon […]

8 March 2013 Fracking could accelerate climate change, destroy communities and landscapes, and prevent creation of sustainable employment and that is before we look at the impacts of the technology itself. “No good doctor would try to minimise the symptoms of a disease, without looking at the overall health of a patient,” said Charles Stanley-Smith […]

This research should not just be aimed at answering the question: can we undertake Fracking in Ireland without causing environmental damage here, and without increasing Ireland’s Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. The research should also address the question of the environmental impact of the extraction of global shale gas reserves for the agreed target of […]

Protected nature sites give great value for money, says new study The economic benefits of the Natura 2000 Network   7 March 2013: The Environmental Pillar welcomes the findings of the EU study on the financial return to society of investments in the protection of sites that are designated as important for nature (Natura 2000 sites). […]