Public workshop on the Aarhus Convention 26 November 2013

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 […]

Read more »

Environment lights the way forward on access to information

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. […]

Read more »

Government should promote renewable energy not more fossil fuel exploration

12 November 2013:  The Environmental Pillar condemns the announcement of a further round of fossil fuel exploration on the very day that the 19th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change opened in Warsaw. Environmental Pillar spokesperson Oisín Coghlan said: “We are very concerned that Minister O’Dowd is acting as […]

Read more »

Local government reforms won’t deliver on sustainable development unless changes made

7 November 2013:  The Environmental Pillar is warning that proposed local government reforms have excluded sustainable development from their core structures, putting the stability of our economy and communities at risk. Environmental Pillar spokesperson Michael Ewing said: “Let’s not repeat the mistakes of the past. During the Celtic tiger, environmental sustainability was left out of […]

Read more »

NESC support for greening the economy is welcomed by environmental groups

7 November 2013: The Environmental Pillar, a coalition of 27 national environmental NGOs, welcomes the National Social and Economic Council (NESC) support for the greening of the Irish economy in its Report No.135  Ireland’s Five-Part Crisis, Five Years On: Deepening Reform and Institutional Innovation, published today.Michael Ewing, spokesperson for the Environmental Pillar, said:”Human society emerged […]

Read more »

Letter to TDs on the definition of 'public authorities' in the Freedom of Information Bill

The Environmental Pillar sent this letter to all TDs on 5 November 2013, asking them to support the inclusion of this definition of ‘public authorities’ in the Freedom of Information Bill   Dear Deputy, The new Freedom of Information Bill is a step forward in many ways, but at present it is missing one opportunity. […]

Read more »