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Indymedia Ireland is a volunteer-run non-commercial open publishing website for local and international news, opinion & analysis, press releases and events. Its main objective is to enable the public to participate in reporting and analysis of the news and other important events and aspects of our daily lives and thereby give a voice to people.

offsite link Army Sergeant Travis Decker Murdered His Three Children After Being Denied Mental Health Care at JBL... Sat Jun 07, 2025 04:52 | JBLM Whistleblowers
A corrupt military police force and incompetent Commander who denied emergency mental health care and crisis counseling to an American service member resulted in the murder of the sergeant's three young daughters

offsite link Gaza doctor grieves her nine children killed in Israeli strike Sun May 25, 2025 20:00 | imc
Israeli regime continues it's slaughter
'The children were completely charred'

Paediatrician Alaa al-Najjar was treating victims of Israeli attacks when her children were killed by an Israeli strike on their home

offsite link British doctors working in Gaza describe territory as a ?slaughterhouse? Sat May 24, 2025 00:23 | imc
There?s no food getting in so people are starving,? surgeon Tom Potokar says
British doctors working in Gaza have described the territory as a ?slaughterhouse,? where the patients they are treating are severely malnourished.

Plastic surgeons and orthopedic specialists from the UK are based at the Amal and Nasser hospitals in Khan Younis in the south of the territory.

Dr. Tom Potokar, a plastic surgeon specializing in burn injuries, has worked in Gaza 16 times but said this mission had revealed a level of destruction far greater than his last visit in 2023,

offsite link It is time to talk about the Out of Control Immigration. Mon Mar 31, 2025 22:12 | imc
For the last few years since the CV19 scamdemic undocumented immigration into Ireland has surged. No one is allowed discuss it because they do not want any rational debate about it. If you do you are labelled an extremist. However this out of control immigration is fully facilitated by the Irish government and the EU and the shady figure behind the Neo Con movement pushing for endless war, wokeism and globalist agenda.

offsite link [Dublin] National Demonstration for Palestine: End Israeli Apartheid & Genocide Thu Mar 06, 2025 22:35 | ipsc
Sat, 22 March 2025, 13:00 Assemble at the Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Square, Dublin 1
The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, supported by over 150 Irish civil society organisations, has called another National Demonstration for Palestine on Saturday 22nd March.

The march will begin at the Garden of Remembrance at 1pm and finish outside the D?il on Molesworth Street/Kildare Street to bring our demands to the Irish government?s doorstep.

The Saker >>

Public Inquiry
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005

offsite link RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail?supporter? Anthony

offsite link Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony

offsite link Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony

offsite link RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony

offsite link Waiting for SIPO Anthony

Public Inquiry >>

Human Rights in Ireland
Promoting Human Rights in Ireland

Human Rights in Ireland >>

Lockdown Skeptics

The Daily Sceptic

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The Telegraph has published an expos? of the privations to which young people are subjected today, including having to get a taxi to the station. Sallust is sure this will resonate with people born in the 1950s.
The post The Trials of Generation Z appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link John Torode Sacked From MasterChef After Complaint About ?Racist Comment? Seven Years Ago Tue Jul 15, 2025 17:55 | Will Jones
John Torode has been sacked from MasterChef after a complaint that he?used racist language on one occasion in 2018 or 2019, first made in 2024, was upheld.
The post John Torode Sacked From MasterChef After Complaint About ‘Racist Comment’ Seven Years Ago appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Labour to Reintroduce Grants for Electric Cars to ?Bribe? Motorists Tue Jul 15, 2025 15:00 | Will Jones
Labour will?give out new grants for electric cars, the Department for Transport has confirmed,?despite a previous 'bribe' scheme that failed to spark enthusiasm for EVs being scrapped three years ago.
The post Labour to Reintroduce Grants for Electric Cars to ‘Bribe’ Motorists appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link A School Excluding a 12 Year-Old Girl for Wearing a Union Jack Dress Must be a Wake-Up Call Tue Jul 15, 2025 13:19 | C.J. Strachan
A school excluding a 12 year-old girl for wearing a Union Jack dress must be a wake-up call over the untrammelled influence of divisive far-Left politics in our schools and institutions, says C.J. Strachan.
The post A School Excluding a 12 Year-Old Girl for Wearing a Union Jack Dress Must be a Wake-Up Call appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link University Staff Face Punishment if They Breach Labour?s Islamophobia Definition Tue Jul 15, 2025 11:00 | Will Jones
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The post University Staff Face Punishment if They Breach Labour’s Islamophobia Definition appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

Lockdown Skeptics >>

Hazelwood Forest at threat from developers

category sligo | environment | news report author Tuesday March 23, 2010 17:14author by Edward Durand Report this post to the editors

Developers plan to build a housing estate right in the middle of Sligo's deciduous forest. This would endanger the habitats of many rare and protected species of plants and animals and take away the magic of the forest which has provided inspiration for so many, including W.B. Yeats. The proposal was rejected but has been appealed.

Hazelwood forest, one of Sligo’s most precious tourist attractions, is at threat from developers, ForestHaze Developments, who plan to build 158 houses, a marina and 4 apartment blocks up to 5 stories high directly on the river’s edge. The proposal was rejected by the Council but it has been appealed.
The development, planned to concentrate around the old Saehan factory site, would stretch from the water’s edge to within 15 metres of the woodland path many people use to escape into nature. Instead of Sligo’s beautiful forest made famous by W.B. Yeats, they would see concrete. It is a Special Area of Conservation, which is home to many rare species of plants and animals. They planned for the houses to pay for the restoration of historic Hazelwood House but it needs saving from water damage as the roof is leaking.
The Hazelwood Action Group pointed out the plan would destroy a valuable habitat, reduce its recreational value and neglect Hazelwood house itself. The development would bring in up to 500 people requiring extra services and infrastructure. The entire housing project is contrary to the Sligo County Council Development Plan for the area. The Council has put off their decision on the proposal until 16th November.
A lot of rare trees are in the forest (many planted by John Arthur Wynne of Hazelwood House) including the Strawberry tree and the Bird Cherry tree, yet in the application mature native trees are described as ‘scrub’. There are many rare varieties of flowers there including Ivy-Leaf Broomrape and the endangered Three-Nerved Sandwort, whose name (wort) suggests medicinal properties. Rare animals also depend on the forest for their home, some protected by the E.U. Habitats Directive including badgers, pine martens, red squirrels whose population is declining and near-threatened Otters whose population is also falling. Protected birds such as the Barn Owl, Kingfisher and Tern nest in the forest. Six out of the nine Irish species of bats are in Hazelwood, they are protected and roost in deciduous trees. One of only a few alluvial woodlands in Ireland, Hazelwood is an ancient ecosystem. According to Coiltte it is of considerable nature conservation importance, it was even selected as a demonstration site for restoring priority woodlands.sof of - ---
The E.U. Habitats Directive requires member states to protect natural habitats and wild species. It introduces for protected areas the principle that development can only go ahead when they have ascertained no adverse effect on the integrity of the site. The Habitats Directive makes it an offence deliberately to kill, capture, or disturb a European Protected Species, or to damage or destroy the breeding site or resting place of such an animal, even accidentally.
At Lissadell when many trees were felled the ones behind them fell over as they weren’t supported. At Hazelwood they would leave 25 metres of trees with none behind them to protect them from river wind. There are many beech trees; beeches fall over when there are few other trees nearby as they have shallow roots.
The area of the Saehan factory has been identified as a contaminated site from pollution from the factory. The proposal has no houses on this part of the ground but it would be a green area in the middle where the children play. Development would increase the risk of contamination of Lough Gill and the Garavogue river. Hazelwood is the source of water supply for Sligo. The Integrated Pollution Prevention Control license was not transferred to the new owners. The original Environmental Impact Assessment ordered by Saehan said the land should not be built on.
Deciduous forests are needed for oxygen and to balance the ecosystem. They store carbon; if they were removed they would release carbon, which would contribute to the greenhouse effect. The Environmental Protection Agency hasn’t checked the site. Construction would produce air, noise and water pollution. A thin layer of subsoil in the development site puts groundwater at risk. Construction can leak heavy metals into the environment. An Environmental Impact Assessment was carried out but the report seems to lack a considerable degree of detail.
With so many uninhabited houses littered throughout the county do we really need another eyesore at the heart of one of our natural treasures? In Germany they are bulldozing empty houses as there is no demand for them.
Hazelwood is a Green Belt Area and acts as the lungs of Sligo. The extent of the development would take away the magic of the forest, which has provided inspiration for so many people including W.B.Yeats. In the words of Joni Mitchell, they want to ‘pave paradise’, or in the words of Yeats, in a few years shall we look out where Hazelwood used to be and say: ‘Transformed utterly: A terrible beauty is born’. Is Sligo the Land of House Desire or is the forest still the heart of Sligo?

Related Link: http://www.hazelwoodactiongroupsligo.com/index.htm
author by farrelly57 - Privatepublication date Wed Mar 24, 2010 08:18author address author phone Report this post to the editors

This all sounds so familiar. We have learned nothing. Property developers just wait for the next chance, they see all nature as being "just scrub". Where are the greens?

European law; the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and the Birds Directive (79/409/EEC) mandate the identification and protection of key Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) respectively in all EU Member States.
This is now also Irish national law.
Such areas can only be breached with the prior permission of the Minister of the Environment.
It is up to locals to have these areas designated as such protected areas and not wait until they are under threat, if they have not already been designated.
If the areas have been designated then a court case to challenge Gormley do act is then necessary.
Also an emailing campaign to notify all and every EU institute and Environmental Institution is also necessary to face the destroyers down and force this cancerous government to uphold the laws of Europe, a Europe it pushed down our throats at the Lisbon Referendum.
It also means and needs people to finally stop muttering and get involved,
farrelly57

author by old codger - pensionerpublication date Wed Mar 24, 2010 12:32author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Getting the Irish people involved is a major problem. we have all sat back and allowed political crooks to run this country for decades, even in the present crises the people are reluctant to rise against political crime.
In spite of the Fianna fail controlled media most people know what these scum have been up to but still there seems to be no response.
There are many pockets of resistance such as SHell to Sea for instance but because of Fianna Fail controlled RTE and press these people have been and still are demonised for standing up for their human rights. At this time there are innocent people being given contrived jail sentences by FiannaFail appointed judges, with Gardai commiting perjury and the public are taking no notice. Reliance on the Green ministers will be fruitless they are now commited Fianna Fail supporters and are quite content to share in their crimes .
For example = When minister Ryan was told that a private security company was recruiting foriegn merceneries from the Balkan region with no research into their backgrounds or histories and using these thugs to asault and commit crimes against irish citizens he chose to do nothing about it. His advice was to contact the licenceing authourity.
I wish you luck with your campaign to save Sligo from the continuing cancer that is the downfall of our country but unless the people stick together and fight the political crooks we will continue to suffer the results.

author by Wisepublication date Wed Mar 24, 2010 17:42author address author phone Report this post to the editors

You are safe.

That was "Celic Tiger" yesterday.

The developer is now probably in "NAMA".

Nobody is building anything now.

It will never be built.

.

author by Hazelwood Supporter - Hazelwood Action Grouppublication date Thu Jun 09, 2011 10:45author email hazelwood1731 at yahoo dot ieauthor address Hazelwood, Sligoauthor phone 0877701603Report this post to the editors

We are delighted that planning permission was refused by An Bord Planeala for this housing development. Now the issue is to plan for the future use for Hazelwood House and its surroundings. It could be an amazing community and tourist facility as well as having a cultural impact on the north west. Your ideas are welcome. Please contact hazelwood1731@yahoo.ie

Related Link: http://Hazelwoodactiongroupsligo.com
author by wood kernepublication date Fri Jun 10, 2011 02:14author address author phone Report this post to the editors

I am glad to hear that the proposed housing development has been turned down. I've often walked in Hazelwood forest, beautiful along the shores of Lough Gill and then along the beginnings of the Garavogue river. Sometimes I've accompanied foreign visitors with children. There is a car park and picnic facility at the beginning of the signposted trail that always needs rehabilitation. Children enjoy feeding the ducks and swans here.

So here are a few immediate suggestions:

1. Repair and replace the eroded wood sculptures that were nicely done around the mid-1980s. Many have become an eyesore. They really fitted into the woodland atmosphere at the beginning, and gave useful work and income to the talented sculptors and their hired helpers.

2. Redo the signposted tree and shrub species, and reprint the informative nature trail leaflets that were first printed by the tourism body in consultation with environmentalists some years ago.

3. New jetty facilities should be constructed along a suitable part of the lakeshore so that a canoe club could be set up by interested Sligo locals. Lockup buildings could be erected alongside the jetty.

4. The possibility of erecting a decorative footbridge across the Garavogue that would connect with a footpath leading to the Tobernalt Road should be considered by Sligo County Council in liason with the tourist interests.

5. The former Wynne family house and the empty factory premises might be converted into some sort of heritage center and hostel facilities for nature and afforestation study groups.

 
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