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Irish Examiner
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner view: Beware this new race to the bottom of the ocean
Space, as Captain Kirk used to remind us, is the 'final frontier'. But the environment that might concern us most in the next 50 years is the ocean. As a country that has a long coastline, more than 7,500km of it, and extensive claims to the seabeds that surround us, we must pay close attention to what is happening on the seas, beneath them, and above the ocean waves. For those who value our native birdlife — and that is all of us, surely — Ireland's belated efforts to recognise and protect the breeding and feeding grounds which create a diversity of species are a welcome, if overdue, move. Birdwatch Ireland wants the Government to catch up with European colleagues in designating key locations — 73 in our case, 24 of them out at sea — as protected areas. These include marine locations where birds gather in numbers to eat, preen, and socialise. There are increasing threats, including intensive offshore developments, such as wind farms. Greedy eyes are being cast over myriad opportunities to colonise the seas, which go way beyond the current human depredations of intensive fishing, plastic pollution, and climate change. Last month's UN conference on the oceans in Nice — non-participants included the US, of course — spent much time focusing on the potential impact of deep-sea mining. This is an activity that has only been undertaken on a small exploratory scale so far, but runs the risk of expanding exponentially as the pursuit of the world's rare minerals — the ones needed to power technology and energy transition — rapidly gathers pace. Deep-sea mining involves extracting resources from ocean floors rich in cobalt, manganese, nickel, and copper, often at depths of between 4,000-6,000m. US president Donald Trump has already issued an executive order entitled 'Unleashing America's Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources'. This observes that the US has a 'core national security and economic interest' in developing seabed minerals. UN restrictions, it says, would be 'inconsistent' with its sovereignty. But the US is far from alone in its ambitions. Norway, with its huge experience in oil and gas exploration, is in the vanguard of countries jockeying for position. Canada and South Korea are also prime movers. China and Russia, in the Arctic, view deep-sea mining as a vital element of longer-term geopolitical strategies. Some analysts believe that there is a $17 trillion profit to be gained, mainly for private mining companies. But in the enthusiasm to stake a claim in the new Klondike, little thought has been given to the net costs and environmental and economic impacts. Some scientists worry that entire ecosystems could be destroyed by devastating the sea floor and that marine life would be smothered by plumes of sediment. We are one of the 37 countries that have backed a precautionary moratorium and called for more research. Anyone who has watched David Attenborough's most recent National Geographic documentary, Ocean, on Disney+ — some critics say it is his greatest and most challenging work — will appreciate the scale of threat to marine life. But mineral exploitation is a topic which is barely on the radar of the general public at this time. This will change as consequences become apparent. Humankind may remember what happened to the Ancient Mariner in the poem by Samuel Coleridge, when he had the temerity to interfere recklessly in the natural order of life. In that case, the unfortunate seaman was lucky enough to find redemption and salvation by changing his ways. Based on current evidence, we may not be so fortunate. 'Beat the Lotto' a reminder of simpler times Because there is plenty to make us grimace in 2025, anything which leavens the mixture, or transports us back to more innocent, less frenetic, times is welcome. Into that category should be placed Ross Whitaker's enjoyable account of a syndicate's 1992 attempt to game the national lottery, ensure the jackpot prize for themselves, beat the system, and earn the admiration of many, if not quite all, fellow citizens for their cheek and enterprise. Stefan Klincewicz speaking with Pat Kenny on his TV chat show in the 1990s in the new documentary, 'Beat the Lotto'. Beat the Lotto, which reaches cinemas this weekend, recreates the caper where a group, headed by Cork mathematician and accountant Stefan Klincewicz, devised a cunning plan to buy every possible lottery combination requiring some two million number squares to be filled in by hand. The story of what happened is an irresistible tribute to ingenuity and the concept that hope springs eternal in the human breast. And our collective love for some good-tempered roguish humour. Ocean's Eleven it's not, but its portrayal of Ireland in the late 1980s/early '90s, the dog days before the arrival of the Celtic Tiger and the era when booms were getting boomier, is unmissable. It's a shame, but perhaps understandable that the National Lottery didn't take the chance to contribute but, as the director says, they 'didn't remember the episode all that fondly'. Like another foundation story of 21st-century Ireland, the movie Saipan, which retells the story of the schism between Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy before the 2002 World Cup, it's an episode which could, perhaps, only have been created here. And it's none the worse for that. What's your view on this issue? You can tell us here Long-awaited reforms to defamation law Long-awaited reforms to Ireland's restrictive and punitive libel laws were finally passed by the Dáil this week, but not without some grudging commentary from TDs, which will fuel opinions that the bill doesn't go nearly far enough. It is unfortunate that the requirement for complainants to pass a 'serious harm' threshold was placed in the 'too difficult' tray by those who drafted the legislation, as it affects retail and hospitality businesses. Challenging a suspected shoplifter or someone exhibiting excessively lairy behaviour at a nightclub remains a gamble, and there remains no meaningful deterrent to frivolous or vexatious defamation claims. Hard-pressed shopkeepers and managers — and there are plenty of those in Ireland's villages, towns, and cities — will still have to decide whether to defend actions and incur costs which can rise to €20,000 or turn to their insurance and incur higher premiums. Even a victory may offer scant chance of recovery if the complainant has no means to pay. This aspect of the new law will fail to change behaviour despite justice minister Jim O'Callaghan's exhortation that businesses should 'not take the easy route' and pay out. Many of the headlines have already been generated by the legal changes which have removed jury trial from the equation, and the 83-61 vote in favour now sends the proposals forward to the Seanad. Ireland's defamation laws have remained unaltered since 2009, since then we have seen the explosive growth of social media and the creation of a Wild West of opinion and commentary which is instant, and often egregious and untrue. Simultaneously, much of what is often categorised as 'old mainstream media' has seen revenues migrate to online competitors. Public understanding of the changed financial circumstances lags the actual reality. Thousands of newspapers around the globe have closed, and many thousands of journalists have lost their jobs. While this produces a tune on the world's smallest violin from some politicians, those losses are a worry for democracy and a threat to the common wealth. Even as the bill has been progressing it has been marked by litigation which proved again that defending an action by a libel claimant is a precarious pastime. This week, Ryan Casey, the partner of murdered schoolteacher Ashling Murphy, won substantial damages from the BBC after it broadcast a discussion about the content of his victim impact statement in its Northern Ireland political programme The View. It was the second court defeat in Ireland in recent weeks for the corporation after Gerry Adams won damages of €100,000 in a case which incurred costs of between €3m-€5m. These eye-watering sums would drive many publishers out of business. Ireland's new bill includes a public interest defence provided statements are published in good faith and reasonable enquiries and checks have been made prior to publication. Such an argument has never been successfully run in the Republic. Whether there is a queue of editors lining up to be the first to test its efficacy is questionable, but there must be protections for honest journalism and enquiry, particularly at a local level where resources are stretched to the thinnest. Read More Irish Examiner view: Free bets escalate gambling problems
Irish Independent
03-07-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Map initiative calls for protection of Ireland's endangered seabirds
But despite laws being passed 46 years ago to safeguard them, the places they feed, roam and spend most of their time are largely unprotected. Birdwatch Ireland now wants the Government to make up for lost time and officially designate key locations around and off the coast as protected areas. The charity has identified 73 strips of coastline and stretches of sea it said meet the criteria for Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and is calling on the Government to recognise them as a first step towards formal protections. Oonagh Duggan, of Birdwatch Ireland, said such protections were long overdue. 'The European Union Birds Directive dates back to 1979, so that's how long we're waiting,' she said. 'Article four of the directive says sites should be designated for all phases of a bird's life cycle. On land we have some legally created Special Protected Areas [SPAs] for breeding birds but we don't designate out to sea, which is where they feed, winter and generally hang out the rest of the time.' Birdwatch Ireland is proposing that 49 coastal IBAs be created for vital breeding sites and established colonies of birds, with a further 24 marine IBAs out at sea. Marine IBAs are areas where birds have regular feeding grounds and where they exhibit 'rafting' behaviour – gathering in floating groups to socialise and preen under the safety of numbers. IBAs would support 24 species of seabird of all shapes and sizes, from the compact puffin to the hefty gannet, from the little tern to the great skua, from the well-known herring gull to less familiar manx shearwater. The others are black guillemot, common guillemot, Arctic tern, roseate tern, sandwich tern, common tern, kittiwake, shag, cormorant, European storm petrel, Leach's storm petrel, northern fulmar, razorbill, Mediterranean gull, black-headed gull, great black-backed gull, lesser black-backed gull and common gull. All but the great black-backed gull have an unfavourable conservation status, which means their populations are under threat. Pressures include loss of food sources from overfishing, entanglement in fishing nets, predation of nests and chicks by rats and other invasive species and marine pollution, including plastics. They are also suffering from the spread of avian flu, human interference with breeding sites and increasing extreme weather events caused by climate change. Future threats are also identified – including intensification of development at sea when offshore wind projects are built. Birdwatch Ireland is calling on the Government to accept the IBAs and designate all of them as formal SPAs. The organisation is also asking that existing SPAs be reviewed and updated using the new IBA data. It also said management plans must be developed for all IBAs/SPAs with 'clearly defined and quantifiable science-based conservation objectives' and 'conservation measures necessary to achieve these objectives'. It said accompanying 'avian sensitivity maps' should be drawn up to guide activities at sea, in particular the location of offshore renewable projects. While they are not a legal designation, thousands of IBAs are already recognised in many countries and used to inform policymakers in the process of formally declaring protected areas. The EU accepts their validity, as does the European Court of Justice. Global conservation organisation BirdLife International has devised the criteria for declaring an IBA, setting out the research that must be carried out to ensure they are scientifically robust. A detailed report being published today by Birdwatch Ireland was compiled with help from experts at the National Parks and Wildlife Service, University College Cork, University College Dublin, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and universities and research institutes in England, Scotland and Norway. Extensive surveys were carried out and tracking data collated to piece together the most up-to-date picture of the places our seabirds depend on for survival. The public will be able to check out the areas and birds for themselves when Birdwatch Ireland launches an interactive map on its website today. It stressed the initiative is not just critical for Ireland's wildlife but for global biodiversity, as some of the sites host some of the most significant colonies of species in the world. The initiative comes as concern grows over the fate of Government promises to designate 30pc of Ireland's seas as marine protected areas (MPAs). Just 10pc is designated so far and practical protections have not been put in place. Legislation to formally create MPAs has been delayed and Environment Minister Darragh O'Brien indicated this week that he may change tack.
Irish Independent
01-07-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Cork's barn owls on the rise thanks to nest boxes
The barn owl, one of Ireland's native birds of prey, is an elusive nocturnal hunter, scouring verges and hedgerows for the rodents they survive on. And like many of the country's other raptors, they're on the Red List of high conservation concern. Rodenticide and road kills have whittled away their numbers but the greatest threat they face is loss of habitat as farming becomes ever more intensive. However, there are grounds for hope. In Cork, barn owl numbers are slowly recovering, with nest boxes built by volunteers playing an important role. The plywood boxes are installed high up near the roof inside the galvanised farm sheds that have largely replaced traditional barns, in derelict buildings, and also on trees. Built to a design approved by BirdWatch Ireland, the boxes give the owls extra sites in which to raise their annual brood. And in Cork the birds are taking full advantage of their new accommodation. In a recent check of three nest boxes in the farmland around the East Cork villages of Mogeely and Killeagh, Dr Alan McCarthy of Birdwatch Ireland discovered seven thriving barn owl chicks. He told the Irish Independent that the nest box project has been a resounding success in Cork. 'Year on year we're seeing more boxes have become occupied for nesting. So last year the occupancy rate was up to 25% of boxes, which for a Red-Listed species is very good, and this year we're still getting the numbers in but so far it looks like even more boxes will be occupied,' he said. 'The project is definitely producing the goods. Without nest boxes in these modern farm buildings, there would be no suitable cavities for barn owls to nest within, so it's providing new homes for new pairs for the population to expand.' In the past 10 years there's been an increase of around 130% in the barn owl breeding distribution in Cork, with the highest number of known nest sites in any county. In 2023, the highest density of barn owls in Ireland were recorded within a 10-kilometre square in East Cork. It's good news for farmers too as the owls feed on rats and mice as well as shrews and voles. A pair of barn owls can predate over 2,000 small mammals during the breeding season, Dr McCarthy said. Science teacher and BirdWatch Ireland volunteer Donncha Ó'Teangana has built and installed around 100 barn owl nesting boxes in County Cork over the past five years, with Cork County Council providing funding for the materials. He has since had the satisfaction of seeing many of them used to raise the next generation. 'When the first box got taken, I was delighted. When you're putting them up and nothing's happening and you're wondering, are you doing it right? Now I'm kind of disappointed when I arrive at a box and there's nothing in it!' he said. So the picture is looking somewhat better for the barn owl, at least in Cork. This year Cork County Council will receive €8,585 from the National Parks and Wildlife Service's Local Biodiversity Action Fund for barn owl and kestrel monitoring and conservation in the county. Even so, the barn owl remains endangered. 'We need more hedgerows that are managed sympathetically with wildlife in mind, a hedgerow that isn't cut every year and where the hedge is allowed to develop flowers, seeds and berries. Just leaving a one or two-metre grass margin along the base of a hedgerow could make the world of difference by providing good hunting for barn owls,' Dr McCarthy said. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Irish Times
17-06-2025
- General
- Irish Times
‘Swifts are experiencing a housing crisis' - appeal to help endangered bird by integrating nests into homes
Birdwatch Ireland has appealed to homeowners to install nest boxes for the endangered swift species. Surveys are currently identifying and counting existing nests of the bird across the Fingal area of Dublin , as well as in south Galway and west Cavan . The swift is a summer visitor to Ireland, arriving from Africa each May to breed. Just over two-thirds (69 per cent) of the breeding population was lost between 1998 and 2023, according to the conservation organisation. READ MORE This is due to a loss of nest sites as a result of renovations to buildings, making it difficult for the birds to find alternative spaces. Swifts, while naturally nesting in holes in trees and cliff crevices, have adapted to urban life by nesting in the crevices of buildings and eaves of houses in towns, villages and cities. [ Review: Swifts and the Story of Life on Earth Opens in new window ] Birdwatch Ireland noted that new-build homes of a higher construction standard leave no gaps for nesting species. 'Essentially, Swifts, like us, are experiencing a housing crisis'. Swifts are 'highly site-faithful birds, meaning they return to the same nest year after year to breed. If the nest site is lost due to renovations, they can find it difficult to find alternative nesting space'. The organisation has called on people to build nest locations for swifts into their homes using nest boxes and nest bricks, information on which is available through its website. 'Nest boxes are fixed externally, while nest bricks are built into the fabric of the wall and are suitable for new builds or renovations'. They said that the species does 'not leave a mess' and 'will not wake you up in the morning'. Birdwatch Ireland surveyors, alongside experienced volunteers, will also be cataloguing existing nest sites until August, after which swifts will depart for sub-Saharan Africa for the winter. They have appealed for anyone aware of swifts nesting in Cavan, Galway or Fingal to get in touch.
