Latest news with #EamonnFarrell
Extra.ie
4 days ago
- General
- Extra.ie
Peat trade laws ignored as councils refuse to intervene with illegal €40m extraction
Peat worth €40million is being illegally extracted and exported from sites in seven counties. The failure of county councils to properly crack down on illegal peat extraction 'flies in the face' of Ireland's climate and biodiversity obligations, the Environmental Protection Agency has warned. A new report by the EPA released today reveals that the agency has investigated 38 sites across seven counties where 'local authority enforcement performance is patently inadequate'. Pic: Eamonn Farrell/ 'Local authorities have been conspicuous in their lack of enforcement of environmental law,' the report noted. It highlighted that Offaly had the most unauthorised sites with nine in the county, followed by Westmeath at eight, Roscommon and Tipperary at six, Longford and Kildare at four, and Sligo with one site. It's estimated that these sites are responsible for 300,000 tonnes of peat being exported annually, valued at almost €40million. The main markets for the peat are the North, Britain, the Netherlands, Australia and Japan. Pic: Shutterstock The director of the EPA's Office of Environmental Enforcement, Dr Tom Ryan, said that there could be even more than 38 large-scale sites in Ireland, but that the agency has put considerable effort into monitoring them over the past few years. 'We've been engaging with the local authorities for a number of years on this. We've identified all of these sites, given them all the important information that we have, including aerial photography of the sites,' he said. 'We have sent out draft notices to them as part of our role in overseeing them, and they've responded to that part of the process. They've said that what we are asking for, they don't have the resources for or that a regional enforcement authority might be set up years down the line that will deal with it. Pic: Shutterstock 'With the exception of one local authority, they aren't planning to take any action at all.' Dr Ryan noted that of the seven local authorities the EPA has been engaging with for years, only Longford County Council appears to be making genuine efforts to combat the diversity-harming unauthorised extraction of peat. He said: 'They've issued notices under the Planning Act. There is still a long way to go, but it's a positive move in the right direction.' Dr Ryan added that while a regional enforcement authority could be established in the future to help combat the issue, this is no excuse for current inaction. 'Right now, local authorities have the statutory responsibility in this area and they need to step up to those obligations and prioritise the resources to develop a county-wide plan,' he said. The Environmental Protection Agency's report pointed out that it has 'deployed significant resources' to carry out 170 inspections between 2021 and 2024, despite the fact that primary responsibility for regulating all commercial peat extraction lies with local councils. Peat extractors are required to be granted Environmental Impact Assessments, Appropriate Assessments associated with protected habitats, and planning permission from local authorities before they can begin operating. However, the EPA states that these regulations are being ignored by peat extractors and that local authorities are failing to act on these violations. Dr Ryan said: 'Local authorities have been conspicuous in their lack of enforcement of environmental law. They need to step up to meet their legal obligations as regulatory authorities, prioritise their resources and use the ample enforcement powers at their disposal to bring these illegal activities to an end and to protect our environment.' The seven local authorities mentioned in the EPA report as being 'inadequate' in their enforcement were contacted for comment, but no response was forthcoming at the time of going to press. Peat extraction can lead to the destruction of ecosystems vital for biodiversity as well as the loss of important carbon sinks, which remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Mr Ryan said: 'If you are destroying peatlands, that goes against our climate efforts. 'It's also irreplaceable. If it has to be done, it can be done in a regulated way like Bord na Móna did, but what's taking place now flies in the face of our efforts to protect biodiversity and aid the climate. 'Operators engaged in unauthorised peat harvesting activities are in flagrant violation of environmental law. They are destroying our precious natural environments, and this needs to stop,' he said. The EPA has also taken legal action at the District Court and High Court levels against operations on areas exceeding 50 hectares – approximately 45 GAA pitches. These legal actions have resulted in several sites ceasing operations, while 'a number of actions remain live before the courts', the EPA stated. The EPA's 38 notices to the seven local authorities in relation to the large sites they identified could lead to legal action. In extreme cases, the Environmental Protection Act of 1992 allows the EPA to 'carry out, cause to be carried out, or arrange for' vital environmental actions if a local authority refuses to comply, and then charge the local authority for the cost. The report added that 'the EPA will continue using its powers to ensure all seven local authorities fully implement and enforce environmental requirements pertaining to large-scale peat extraction'. A 2024 study funded by the EPA found that carbon emissions caused by peat extraction for domestic use have been vastly under-reported in Ireland's greenhouse gas reports to the UN. Just under 65,000 hectares of raised bog across Ireland have been cut up for domestic use, the study found, which is nearly 162 times more than the 400 hectares reported in Ireland's annual UN report.
The Journal
22-06-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Countering demonstrations overwhelm Dublin City centre
AN ANTI-IMMIGRATION DEMONSTRATION and a countering anti-racism rally were held in Dublin city today. O'Connell Bridge was closed for a time this afternoon as the gardaí erected extensive barriers to separate the two crowds. The United Against Racism rally began at the Central Plaza on Dame Street, marching through the city to O'Connell Bridge at around 2pm. Several protesters carried signs saying: 'Blame the Government, not migrants'; and: 'Dublin stands against racism'. They also chanted: 'Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here.' The anti-immigration protest marched down O'Connell Street and turned left at O'Connell bridge before continuing along the quays. Participants from both sides shouted and gestured towards each other from across the empty space between the barriers created by gardaí. Advertisement Eamonn Farrell / © Eamonn Farrell / © / © At one point, the anti-racism rally chanted at the anti-immigration group: 'You say protect women, that's a lie' and referenced a photo being carried by one person of MMA fighter Conor McGregor, who lost a civil trial where Dublin woman Nikita Hand accused him of raping her in a Dublin hotel. The anti-immigration group, which was the larger of the two, was thick with large tricolour flags. It chanted 'ole ole' and: 'Whose streets? Our streets'. Several people were seen wearing 'Make Ireland Great Again' green caps and holding US or 'Trump' flags, and some signs critical of RTÉ. At one point, the famous rebel song 'Oro 'Se do bheatha 'bhaile' was played by the anti-racism rally over a speaker, and prompted some participants in the anti-immigration group to sing along and applaud at the end. There was an extensive garda presence at the location where the two protest groups were due to cross paths. The Garda Mounted Support Unit, the Public Order Unit, and garda members from outside the Dublin Metropolitan Region were in attendance. One garda member was heard telling a member of the public he could not give directions as he was brought in from a region outside Dublin to police the protest.
Irish Examiner
05-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
'I saw things that made me feel uncomfortable': Woman speaks out about controversial nursing home
The daughter of a man living in a nursing home which is at the centre of a controversy over the ill-treatment of its elderly residents has told how she repeatedly witnessed things in the home which made her 'feel uncomfortable'. Helen, whose name has been changed, has an elderly father with vascular dementia who lives at the Beneavin Manor home in Glasnevin, north Dublin. She said she was 'terrified' over what she would see in an RTÉ Investigates programme broadcast this week about the standard of care in the facility. The programme detailed how residents at Beneavin and The Residence in Portlaoise – both of which are operated by French corporate Emeis - were often left to sit in their own urine and subjected to manhandling by staff, among many other abuses. The day-to-day running of both homes was negatively impacted by chronic understaffing and cost-cutting. Helen had been informed by Beneavin in late May that a 'media inquiry' was to happen in advance of the broadcast. The programme detailed how residents at Beneavin and The Residence in Portlaoise (pictured) – both of which are operated by French corporate Emeis - were often left to sit in their own urine and subjected to manhandling by staff, among many other abuses. Picture: Eamonn Farrell/© She said that when visiting her father she had often seen him and many other vulnerable elderly men left unsupervised in the day room of the home for more than five minutes. 'I had seen things that made me feel uncomfortable. There would be not a single staff member in there. I saw a man fall in the day room and the staff member who attended was very blasé, he just picked him up off the ground saying 'he's fine',' she said. Her father was previously hospitalised with pneumonia soon after moving to Beneavin. 'I called in to see him and he was visibly ill, and they hadn't called at that stage to say so. I wondered if I hadn't called in that day would the first I would have heard have been when he was in the ambulance,' she said. When he returned to Beneavin, she visited him and found him asleep in the day room. 'He was too weak to walk or stand,' Helen said. "I asked 'could you not move him to his room so he could have a proper sleep?', and I thought they would use a wheelchair. I couldn't believe what was happening in front of my eyes when two staff members, one on either side, held him up and shuffled him to his room.' Helen said she would 'like to have my dad placed somewhere else', and said that family members of residents in the Emeis homes are currently trying to work together in order to agitate for action from the Government. She said the 'most startling' part of the RTÉ broadcast was 'the staff member holding the elderly person by his trousers before being placed roughly in a chair'. 'That was hard to watch. I recognised the corridor. My father walks up and down that corridor'. Emeis was contacted for comment regarding this story but had not responded at the time of writing. The programme has led to calls across the spectrum for legislation on adult safeguarding, which has been promised for well over a decade, to be enacted. Cork TD and Public Accounts Committee member Eoghan Kenny said the details uncovered represent "a drop in the ocean of failures across care of older people" and said he will be seeking to call nursing homes regulator Hiqa in for questioning given the "huge systemic issues within the organisation". Read More
Extra.ie
25-05-2025
- Business
- Extra.ie
What are the Taxsaver Commuter Ticket Scheme changes coming into effect?
Public transport users are being warned of changes to the Taxsaver Commuter Ticket Scheme which come into effect from June. The Taxsaver Commuter Ticket Scheme reduces the cost of public transport with employees saving between 28.5% and 52% of travel costs due to tax, PRSI and USC savings. The scheme covers bus, rail and the LUAS in Dublin and employers have to apply for the scheme on behalf of their staff. Public transport users are warned of changes to the Taxsaver Commuter Ticket Scheme which come into effect from June. Pic: EQRoy/Shutterstock Types of tickets include monthly and annual tickets with monthly tickets valid for one calendar month (June 1 to June 30). Tickets can be used outside of office hours for personal travel. Citizen Information has confirmed that there will be a number of changes to the scheme from June 1 including some ticket prices and types changing. The scheme covers bus, rail and the LUAS in Dublin and employers have to apply for the scheme on behalf of their staff. Pic: Eamonn Farrell/ As well as a new zonal ticketing system and a new enhanced All Service ticket, the feeder service change between Dublin Heuston station and Dublin City Centre will be removed. The new zonal ticketing system for the Dublin Commuter Area will extend to about 50km outside the city centre, with ticket prices and types adjusted accordingly. One of the key changes is a new enhanced All Service ticket which will apply to Irish Rail; Dublin City Bus; Bus Éireann and the Luas. One of the key changes is a new enhanced All Service ticket which will apply to Irish Rail; Dublin City Bus; Bus Éireann and the Luas. Pic: Leah Farrell/ The changes only apply to Dublin commuters — Iarnród Éireann or Bus Éireann Taxsaver Products in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford are not affected. Those interested in applying for the scheme must provide their employer with a digital photo of the ticket. Both the employer and employee sign a contract, subject to the rules of the scheme. The employer then applies for the required Tax Conditions and registers with the public transport provider. Companies must keep a receipt of purchases and a copy of the ticket for their own tax records. For more information on prices, go here.
Business Post
02-05-2025
- Business
- Business Post
Greencoat Renewables signs deal with Singapore-based Keppel to power two Dublin data centres
Energy Greencoat Renewables signs deal with Singapore-based Keppel to power two Dublin data centres Keppel DC Reit will purchase 100 per cent of the electricity generated from Greencoat's Kerry wind farm Alice O'Leary 15:11 The PPAs are part of Keppel's aim to decarbonise two data centres in Dublin by 2030. Picture: Eamonn Farrell
