Tag: Aarhus

IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5 May 2023 The Environmental Pillar, an advocacy coalition of 32 environmental non-governmental organisations, is demanding that leaders in Government pause and re-evaluate their strategy on the proposed new Planning Bill1. Government must listen to and address the major concerns that have come forward from a diverse range of stakeholders on the delays, […]

For immediate release The European Commission’s withdrawal of two crucial pieces of environmental policy at the moment that citizens across Europe are voting in the European elections sends a bad signal as to what Europe’s priorities are. The formal withdrawal of the 2003 proposal for a Directive on Access to Justice underlines the urgent need for the Commission […]

29 January 2014: The Environmental Pillar calls on the Government to initiate an inclusive participatory process to develop a comprehensive national strategy on energy. “There is a clear and urgent need for a sense of direction and understanding as to how Ireland will power its communities and enable a successful economy, whilst responding to the […]

 Press release – 8 January 2013 Environmental democracy is still a long way off “The Irish public are unlikely to accept that their rights to access information, to participate in decision-making and of access to justice regarding the environment are being delivered.  However that is what they are being told in the Irish Government’s Implementation […]

Expert training in Dublin on the Aarhus Convention The Environmental Pillar is organising events today to deliver training to lawyers, activists and government officials on the Aarhus Convention and its compliance mechanism. Professor Jerzy Jendroska, a member of the Compliance Committee of the Aarhus Convention will be instrumental in helping the Environmental Pillar to deliver […]

26 November 2013: The right to information, as enshrined by the Aarhus Convention, is an emerging good news story in what has been a dim situation surrounding freedom of information in Ireland.The Aarhus Convention guarantees your right to easily obtain information on the environment or on human health issues that are affected by the environment. […]

Cork will be the first stop on a national roadshow to explore citizens’ rights of access to information, participation and justice in environmental matters. Have you found yourself frustrated when trying to get information on development and planning applications? Do you think that there should be more public participation in the decision-making processes around the […]

Environmental Pillar press release, 24 September 2013 Every person has the right to a healthy environment, and the right to protect it – rights that have recently been recognised by Irish and international law. That’s the Environmental Pillar’s message at the National Ploughing Championships this week. ‘Members of the public now have their human rights […]

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 […]

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 […]

Environmental Pillar press release 27 February 2013: The news that NAMA has been told that it is required to give the public access to information on the environmental aspects and impacts of its activities was greeted as a victory for environmental democracy by the Environmental Pillar, a coalition of 26 national environmental NGOs. “Instead of […]

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Today the Aarhus Convention entered into force in Ireland, signifying an important step forward for environmental democracy in this country. The Aarhus Convention upholds the right of every person to have access to information about the environment, the right to participate in decision-making, and the right of access to justice in environmental matters. It sets […]

After 14 years of campaigning, the final ratification process for the Aarhus Convention has been completed with the deposition of Irish ratification papers at the United Nations in New York yesterday. “The people of Ireland finally have the same environmental human rights as the rest of Europe” said Michael Ewing, speaking on behalf of the […]

There have been calls for the government to raise public awareness of rights granted to Irish citizens following the Dáil vote today to allow ratification of the Aarhus Convention. This international convention upholds the right of every person to have access to information about the environment, the right to participate in decision-making, and the right […]

Text of speech by Michael Ewing, Coordinator of the Environmental Pillar Thank you chair The European ECO Forum would like to begin by thanking the Chair of the Task Force on Public Participation for his comprehensive and thoughtful report, and the members of the Task Force for their hard work to date in what is […]

The Environmental Pillar, which is made up of 27 national environmental groups, has asked the incoming government to ensure that it protects the fundamental needs of our society and economy by protecting and enhancing the natural environment.  In a detailed submission to the Fine Gael and Labour Parties, the Environmental Pillar outlined what is needed […]