Lough Neagh managers disappointed by ‘science denialism' of politicians over ecological crisis
The body responsible for managing Lough Neagh has described a Stormont debate on the ecological crisis as 'depressing' after promised political support 'disappeared like melted snow'.
Gerry Darby, who runs the Lough Neagh Partnership, attended the Nutrient Action Plan (NAP) debate in Parliament Buildings this week where Sinn Fein and unionist parties backed a motion to scrap the NAP consultation process.
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Belfast Telegraph
5 days ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Stormont Executive has failed A5 victims and cost of putting a wrong right is spiralling
The High Court judge ruled that the decision to give the go-ahead for the dual carriageway scheme was rendered 'irrational' by previous pledges on climate control. The Department for Infrastructure failed to convince the High Court that upgrading the road would not prevent Northern Ireland meeting the net-zero target by 2050, a pledge made in the 2022 Climate Change Act. Former Stormont Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd gave the go-ahead for the 53-mile development between Derry and Aughnacloy in October last year, he has since handed over to party colleague Liz Kimmins. Sinn Fein also voted in favour of the climate act that the High Court now states is incompatible with the current A5 build. The was a face-off in court between locals and landowners v politicians and bears a remarkable resemblance to the court cases mounted by residents that prevented the building of Casement Park back in 2014. The initial approval was quashed by a judge following a legal challenge from residents who were concerned about the stadium's size and potential impact on their area. As a result the build was delayed and costs spiralled, with a huge funding deficit still holding back the project. Earlier this year the Executive agreed a Programme for Government 2024-2027, which outlines its priorities and is a delivery plan for the remainder of this Assembly mandate. It included a pledge that: 'Actions will include progressing delivery of the A5 Western Transport Corridor and publishing an annual Action Plan to support the Road Safety Strategy'. Given the High Court judgment this week it would seem almost impossible to meet that commitment. Solicitor for Alternative A5 Alliance: Quashing of road upgrade is an "extraordinary accomplishment" Timing is key as was noted in the ruling , with the judge saying there was a 'failure to properly show consideration of human rights issues in not imposing a time limit for construction'. Time limits for any building works in Northern Ireland are notoriously difficult to pin down. Perhaps the most startling line of that ruling were the acknowledgement of potential fatalities. 'It is likely that delays in the progression of this scheme will coincide with the occurrence of further loss of life and serious injury on the existing road', said Mr Justice McAlinden. It is already too late for the 57 people who have died on the stretch of road since 2006. 'I am acutely aware that this decision will bring significant, fresh anguish to the doors of those who have been injured and maimed and those who have lost loved ones as a result of road traffic accidents on the existing A5 road,' the judge added. They include Marie O'Brien, whose daughter Caoimhe died in a crash on the A5 in 2016 — she described the ruling as a 'punch in the gut' — and the family of Tyrone Gaelic footballer John Rafferty, 21, killed in a crash in October 2022. The A5 Enough is Enough group set up after his death said the road is 'a death trap'. The judge in this case could only rule on the law in front of him and not the emotions of the case, this was clear in his judgment. The ruling leaves the upgrade of the road in limbo, with no clear path as to how the minister can deliver the pledge to upgrade the road. It will require a community to look inward and decide what they prioritise in terms of the future and if those who oppose the build now consider what they would accept in terms of a future upgrade. But it also raises questions about the ability of Stormont to deliver. The A5 is still a dangerous road, the cost of upgrading it — like the Casement build — will only increase with further delays, and yet as of now the Executive and minister are on a road to nowhere and will need to have a serious rethink about how to deliver on this key PfG pledge.
BreakingNews.ie
5 days ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Chicken up €6 in three years: ‘Crazy' inflation outlined to Dáil
The 'crazy' increase in the cost of everyday food items has been raised in the Dáil, as the opposition accused the Government of being inactive on the issue. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said that in the past year, butter had become €1 more expensive, a kilo of Irish cheddar was up 57 cents, and two litres of milk was up 27 cents. Advertisement She cited figures in The Irish Times that indicated a kilo of chicken had cost €4.99 in 2022 and now costs €11. 'That's just crazy,' she said, telling the áail that prices were 'out of control'. 'Many households are now paying €3,000 extra a year in the supermarket than they were in 2021.' She accused the Government of having 'failed to exert any real pressure' on retailers, after a junior minister handling the issue was 'unceremoniously ignored'. Advertisement 'Your latest plan, it seems, is to do absolutely nothing, to stick your head in the sand, allow people to be ripped off week in and week out. 'Let me just give you some more CSO data – over five years, sugar is up 54 per cent. 'A filet of cod, up 55 per cent, pork sausages 21 per cent, lamb 48 per cent, spaghetti up 46 per cent. 'Nothing has changed, people are still to the pin of their collar,' she said. Advertisement Social Democrats deputy leader Cian O'Callaghan called for transparency on food prices. 'We all have suspicions that we're being ripped off in this country and being price gouged when it comes to food prices, but there's no way to prove it because we don't have full transparency when it comes to supermarket profits,' he said. 'People are handing over 10 billion euro a year to supermarkets to buy food for their families. Why is there not full transparency about profits here? 'Given that people have to buy food, there's no choice on this, why is this not a requirement for all supermarket retailers and chains?' Advertisement Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the Government was 'very, very conscious' of price increases and the cost of living. Micheál Martin. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA He said although inflation had fallen to 1.4 per cent in May, down from 2 per cent in the same month last year, food prices remained 'very high, and basic essentials, milk, butter, pasta and bread, cost more than ever. He added that support introduced across various budgets, including over the pandemic period, had prevented people from being at risk of poverty. Mr Martin also said HRT was made available free of charge from June, free school books will be extended to all students from September, and hot school meals will be available in every school. Advertisement Business Cost of living in Ireland: How quickly are prices... Read More He accused Mr O'Callaghan of having a 'tremendous habit of asserting what I said earlier which, of course, I didn't say at all'. He said Mr O'Callaghan had accused him of 'rattling off figures' in his earlier answer when he had not. 'We're looking, we're looking at every aspect of cost and price with a view to getting prices down.'
The Herald Scotland
7 days ago
- The Herald Scotland
Ballymena violence fuelled by mainstreaming of far-right
As we saw with the Southport riots last August, there has been much discussion about the role of social media in fuelling racist violence. Loyalist groups like the Ballymena Reaction Group and Protestant Coalition used their public Facebook pages to share details of the protests and call for the removal of "Roma gang masters" from their communities. Masked rioters went as far as to livestream themselves burning down a house in Ballymena, with one offering to smash a window in return for 'gifts' from viewers. Numerous false claims about immigrants were shared within these online groups. It was perhaps no surprise that Sinn Fein representative Philip McGuigan called on big tech companies like Meta to remove such content. There are other similarities to previous incidents of violent disorder too. A recurring theme in my research has been how politicians often make things worse through their commentary, both on and offline. From the 2012 flag protests in Northern Ireland to the 2024 Southport riots, some politicians have inflamed tensions rather than condemning violence without reservation. Last week there were calls for Communities Minister Gordon Lyons to resign from the Northern Ireland Executive after he revealed on Facebook that families forced out of their homes in Ballymena had been moved to Larne Leisure Centre. Critics accused Mr Lyons of inflaming tensions by revealing their location, which was later targeted by the rioters. Amnesty International's Patrick Corrigan was among those to blame politicians for irresponsibly conflating immigration with crime and social issues that affected all communities. There will no doubt be more calls for tighter regulation of online platforms to prevent a repeat of this racist violence. While platforms can clearly do more to tackle online disinformation and hate, this doesn't address its root causes. Elected representatives need to acknowledge their role in producing a toxic discourse in relation to immigration. Some unionist politicians defended the anti-immigrant protests that sparked the violence. Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister suggested the demonstrations had focused attention on "long-standing frustrations" over "unchecked immigration" into Ballymena. This illustrates what Aurelien Mondon and Aaron Winter refer to as the mainstreaming of the far-right. This is when large sections of the media and political class present racist views as the "legitimate concerns" of local communities, irrespective of the facts. Our politicians need to do much more than say "never again". There is an urgent need for an anti-racist, fact-based narrative on issues like immigration if we are to avoid a repeat of the scenes in Ballymena and Larne. Dr Paul Reilly is Senior Lecturer in Communications, Media & Democracy at the University of Glasgow Agenda is a column for outside contributors. Contact: agenda@
