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Renewable energy, marine habitats and coastal communities all at risk with Maritime Area Planning Bill 

National environmental groups are calling on the Government to ensure that the necessary time is given to the Maritime Area Planning Bill in order to protect and restore our marine environment and ensure that offshore renewables are truly sustainable. [1]  Ireland is marching itself towards widespread obstacles for renewable energy, longstanding depleted marine habitats and … Read more

SWAN joins the Environmental Pillar and Stop Climate Chaos in launching agriculture policy paper

Three leading environment and climate coalitions today published policy recommendations that could transform agriculture in Ireland, the sector with the most significant impacts on climate, biodiversity and water. Towards a New Agricultural and Food Policy for Ireland is the fruit of over 70 organisations’ collective labour and expertise, and was jointly published today by The … Read more

Leading water NGOs support environmental sector withdrawal from agri-food committee and warn of water quality crisis

The Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) supports the Environmental Pillar’s withdrawal from the 2030 Agri-Food Strategy Committee. The soon to be published 2030 Agri-Food Strategy is set to propose a ‘business-as-usual’ approach to food production, which perpetuates intensive agriculture and ignores calls for the dramatic policy shift needed to urgently address the multiple environmental crises we … Read more

Environmental groups support Oireachtas Committee call for major changes to flawed water abstraction Bill

The Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) welcomes the findings and recommendations of the report from the Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill expected for publication today. The network of 25 environmental organisations is urging the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to take on board the Committee’s … Read more

Water pollution crisis fuelled by reckless intensification of agriculture

The Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) is calling for immediate action from Government to address dramatic increases in pollution of our rivers, lakes and bays, following today’s publication of a report on water quality from the EPA.[1] The report highlights that one third of our rivers and a quarter of our lakes are failing water quality … Read more

Lack of political will at root of sewage pollution

The Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) is calling for immediate action from government to dramatically improve Ireland’s waste water infrastructure, following today’s publication of a report from the EPA on Urban Waste Water Treatment.[1] The report highlights that raw sewage from 35 towns and villages flows into our water every day and waste water treatment in … Read more

Ireland receives warning from European Commission over lack of water regulation

The European Commission has issued a warning to Ireland over failure to comply with key EU water law (Water Framework Directive) due to a lack of legislation and appropriate controls for water abstraction (extraction).(1) The Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) has warned that the bill drafted to resolve this regulatory gap will not meet the requirements … Read more

Proposed Abstraction Bill will fail to regulate majority of water abstractions in Ireland – creating risk for environment and potential breaches of EU regulations

The Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) has today launched a report on water abstraction in Ireland, highlighting the risks and potential impact of the State’s insufficient monitoring and regulation. (1) The Network of twenty-five environmental groups has also expressed significant concern over the draft ‘Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill’ scheduled for pre-legislative scrutiny this week. The Network … Read more

Key EU water law to remain – Ireland must get to work without delay to turn the tide of decline in our water environment says the Sustainable Water Network (SWAN

In a landmark day for Europe’s rivers, lakes, coasts and wetlands, following a two-year review [1], the European Commission announced yesterday that key water law – the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) [2] – will not be changed [3]. The law requires that 100% of the EU’s freshwater and coastal ecosystems are in good health … Read more