While I am a bit down about my own result and that of my party nationally it must be put in perspective. Most people simply do not understand how important environmental issues are going to be over the coming years, including within the next five years of the local government term. In particular our media do not seem to have a clue. In choosing to effectively exclude the Green Party from local Government for the next five years, the Irish electorate has demonstrated that it is far more interested in giving out and looking backwards, rather than planning for a safe future for us all, and this is a decision that the electorate will come to rue. The only hope is that we stick at what we are doing in Government, putting the building blocks in place for us to deal with what is coming over the years ahead, and that in the next few years the Irish electorate, and the Irish media who have been dreadful over the past few years, start to understand what is really happening on our planet. We have to get away from our obsession with money and economics (witness George Lee’s huge vote) and realise that economics is just one pillar of good decision making, with the environmental and social pillars having equal importance. Unfortunately the electorate has all but eliminated those who understand the importance of the environmental pillar from local government, and largely replaced them with people who have limited understanding of any of the three pillars. A sad day for the future of this country.
Archive for June, 2009
Bad election for the Green Party – Bad election for Ireland
Published June 7, 2009 Economy , Environment , Local Elections , Local Government , National Issues Leave a CommentCllr. Donnelly’s response to the disgraceful article in today’s Irish Examiner from the Port of Cork
Published June 5, 2009 Cork Harbour , Economy , Local Elections , Marine , Planning , Port of Cork , Ringaskiddy Leave a CommentThere is an article on page 8 of today’s Irish Examiner by Sean O’Riordan, with comments from Capt. Michael McCarthy of the Port of Cork, which can be described as nothing less than scurrilous and pure propaganda. For a journalist of Sean O’Riordan’s standing to put his name to a diatribe like this shows that there is no such thing as journalism any more, just propaganda and spin. For Sean O’Riordan not to give either Dan Boyle or myself a right to respond to the completely false allegations against us personally and against the Green Party contained in the article, and for the article to appear in the paper on polling day when there is no time for a right of reply shows a complete lack of any journalistic ethic by either Sean O’Riordan or his editors.
As for the Port of Cork getting involved so overtly politically, this is not surprising, as their senior management and board are riddled with political appointees. Previously I would have considered Michael McCarthy a gentleman. I clearly gave the man too much credit. For him to misconstue in this way what the Green Party, through Dan Boyle and myself, has said and done with regard to Cork Harbour and the Port of Cork, is to show that this article is purely an attempt at political manipulation by the Port, and the article has no basis in fact.
I will finish by saying that I hope people are not taken in by this rant from the Port of Cork. For the record there are links below to both my written and oral statements to An Bord Pleanala on the Port of Cork’s application to move their container terminal to Ringaskiddy last year. These clearly outline that while I did vehemently oppose the port’s proposal, I am not in any way anti-port or anti-trade. In fact within my oral submission I argue that in the long term this move would make the region less competitive, as the port would quite simply be located in the wrong place in the harbour. I sincerely believe that if this move goes ahead, it will prove in the long term to be detrimental to Irish trade and local industry. The Green Party’s proposals for the development of tourism infrastructure in Cork Harbour are not in any way anti-port or anti-trade.
Dominick’s written submission to An Bord Pleanala about Port of Cork’s proposal to move their container terminal to Ringaskiddy: https://dominickdonnelly.com/links/written-submission-to-an-bord-pleanala-about-port-of-cork-in-ringaskiddy/
Dominick’s oral submission to An Bord Pleanala oral hearing for the Port of Cork’s proposal to move their container terminal to Ringaskiddy: https://dominickdonnelly.com/links/dominicks-oral-submission-to-port-of-cork-oral-hearing/
Cllr. Donnelly welcomes Minister Gormley’s clarification of waste policy for all planning authorities
Published June 3, 2009 Cork Harbour , Economy , Environment , Incineration , National Issues , Planning , Ringaskiddy , Waste Leave a Comment3rd June 2009
Department of Environment circular to all planning authorities makes it clear that mechanical and biological treatments, not incineration, are to be the cornerstones of national waste policy in the future
The Green Party’s candidate for the Carrigaline area of Cork County Council and for Passage West Town Council, Cllr. Dominick Donnelly, has welcomed the letter which has been circulated to all planning authorities around the country from the Department of the Environment, which clarifies that waste policy in the country is changing, with the emphasis switching away from incineration towards mechanical and biological treatment. This circular comes in advance of the full review of national waste policy which is currently being undertaken by consultants Eunomia, and which is due to be complete in July.
Cllr. Donnelly said: “This clarification that incineration is no longer a cornerstone of national waste policy, coupled with the recent introduction of an incineration levy comparable to the landfill levy, is highly significant for the planning application currently before An Bord Pleanála for two incinerators at Ringaskiddy. The oral hearing for that application is due to resume next Monday, and surely the message is coming loud and clear from Government that incineration is no longer part of Government policy. Given that when the Ringaskiddy incinerators were granted planning five years ago by An Bord Pleanála it was solely on the basis that it was Government policy, this clarification from Minister Gormley, I think now makes it impossible for the board to reasonably grant planning for the Ringaskiddy incinerators.”
“As well as this circular, and the recent incineration levies, I have seen the text of an order which Minister Gormley will be issuing next week, which in effect reinstates the Proximity Principle. This effectively means that any incinerator or landfill can only accept waste from whichever of the eight waste management regions in which it is situated. The Ringaskiddy incinerators would therefore be only able to accept waste from within County Cork. This really makes them non-viable financially, and so should be another nail in their coffin,” continued Cllr. Donnelly.
Cllr. Donnelly concluded: “With this series of measures introduced by Minister Gormley in recent weeks, I hope it is now patently clear that incineration is no longer a key component of national waste management policy. While an outright ban on incineration is not currently possible due to existing planning permissions in Poolbeg in Dublin, and in Carranstown, Co. Meath, it is now clear that Government policy is heading in that direction. Incineration is so clearly not the way we should be dealing with our waste. A proper waste industry based on reuse, recycling within this country, and mechanical and biological treatments is the only policy that makes any sense, both in terms of economics and the environment.”
Full text of Department of the Envrionment circular to planning authorities:
May 2009
Update on progress in respect of implementing the waste management provisions of the Programme for Government
I am directed by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to update you on progress in respect of implementing the waste management provisions of the Programme for Government, and in particular the commitment to conduct an international review of waste management policy.
The Programme for Government makes major commitments in relation to national waste policy. In particular, there is an emphasis on moving away from the high reliance on incineration foreseen in the National Development Plan and reflected in the regional waste management plans for which the local authorities have statutory responsibility, generally operating in regional groupings. In this regard it is intended that there be an increased commitment to the use of alternative technologies, including those known as mechanical and biological treatment.
The Department’s Statement of Strategy 2008-2010, which is published on the Department’s web site and which was noted by Government in July 2008, states:
“The new Programme for Government indicates a further development of waste and resource policy in the direction of sustainability, in particular, to move away from mass burn incineration towards alternative technologies and to minimise waste going to landfill, subject to the outcome of the review of the waste management strategy. This major international review being undertaken by the Department will address how best to implement waste prevention and minimisation, and the emergence of new technologies in waste management.”
Progress on the review of waste management strategy
Consultants have been retained to conduct the study of waste policy options which will underpin the conclusion of the overall review later this year. This work is well advanced and a series of interim reports has been considered by the Review Steering Group. It is considered that the study itself should be concluded on time, July 2009, with policy proposals being brought to Government shortly thereafter.
Interim policy measures
While this work is on target, it is acknowledged that progress towards meeting Ireland’s targets under the Landfill Directive and the requirements of the recently adopted Waste Framework Directive cannot wait. Therefore the Minister is pressing ahead with key initiatives which are compatible with the overall objectives of the review in order to meet the targets. These include:
- increase in the landfill levy and the introduction of a levy on incineration;
- roll-out of brown bin collections;
- intensifying efforts to promote at source/home composting;
- supporting small-scale local composting initiatives;
- encouraging access to waste streams for composting/anaerobic digestion, recycling and other processes high on the waste hierarchy; and,
- source segregated collection of commercial biowaste.
The Minister has also initiated a Strategic Environmental Assessment on proposed policy directions to the EPA and local authorities which would (in relation to their functions under the Waste Management Acts and any instruments made thereunder), inter alia, require the recipients to:
- limit incineration capacity to ensure that waste is not drawn to incineration which could have been dealt with by recycling or other methods higher up the waste hierarchy;
- refrain from exercising their powers in such a way as to direct waste to landfill or incineration.
The proposed policy direction is subject to consultation with both the public and all stakeholders, including local authorities.
The above are interim actions intended to help meet the Landfill Directive targets while implementing the commitments in the Programme for Government. The Minister considers that they are in line with the policies emerging from the overall review.
Queries in relation to this Circular may be addressed to the undersigned.
Yours sincerely,
Michael Layde
Principal Officer – Waste Policy: Review and Regulation
Dominick Donnelly 