Last Thurs 24th Jan 2013, the Irish and British governments agreed on a memorandum of understanding for energy trading between Ireland and the UK. This will pave the way for the export of Wind Energy to the UK. This would likely make use of the electric interconnector completed last year between the UK and Ireland although it may need additional cables.

The wind resource in Ireland is probably greater than what the Irish electrical grid can cope with and hence the idea is that the surplus wind energy can be exported to the UK which has a far larger electrical demand than here and could probably take every watt exported.

Unfortunately it seems that there is a bit more to this though the official green good news because apparently there are plans by a number of companies to erect up to 2,300 wind turbines in the Midlands of Ireland. Is blighting our landscape for the UK the way to solve the energy problem? ... read full story / add a comment

An insight into prison life in Ireland, namely Castlerea Prison, Co Roscommon.

On 21st April 2010 I was convicted of assaulting a number of Gardaí in relation to Shell to Sea protests and sentenced to 6 months imprisonment. Remission for good behaviour means that prisoners will have their sentences reduced by a quarter, once you keep your nose clean. I was given credit for 2 weeks time served previously in 2009, before I was bailed out pending my appeal.

So I spent 4 months in jail from April to August in the summer of 2010. ... read full story / add a comment

Our political parties are at it again. They can't seem to stop. They are rezoning land in areas where the County Manager has already strongly opposed it and as usual FF councillors are at the forefront with FG very close behind. You would think that something might change after FF has led this country to economic ruin and has saddled everyone with debt that has nothing to do with them, restarted emigration and condemned the young, old and sick to cutbacks and poverty for an indefinite period with no end in sight. It all just goes to show the huge democratic deficit in this country and the fact that these self-serving political parties and their developer friends don't give a damn about anyone, the environment or our common future. And so we feel it is important to featurize this local but important story below.

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown councillors are to vote on a murky rezoning project near Tibradden in the Dublin Mountains on December 10th, which breaches the county development plan and national policy, as well as policy on siting of facilities for older people. Most crucially it breaches the current limits of the no-building areas in the Dublin / Wicklow Mountains, which are a vital amenity for the whole community.

To date a majority of local councillors have been in favour, against the advice of the planners and even the County Manager - but have not explained their reasons for voting yes to this development. It will create a "retirement village" cut off from library, churches and other community contacts: perhaps isolation facility would be a better term. Despite all the scandals, it seems to be "business at usual" over at DL-Rathdown... ... read full story / add a comment

On Tuesday the 13th of November reports had come in that Shell had begun expanding the Glengad compound.

Around midday few of us at the camp house decided to head down for a look, and to see what could be done. ... read full story / add a comment

Thursday November 15th @ 6pm

Fracking info talk and discussion
Room A019, IADT, Kil Avenue, Dun Laoghaire.

followed by

Ska Reggae and D&B
Bakers Corner, Kil Ave, DL ... read full story / add a comment

Last week two activists from Bhopal in India came to Ireland seeking solidarity and support for their campaign to force the American transnational corporation Dow Chemical to take responsibility for toxic waste abandoned in Bhopal by Union Carbide, which Dow Chemical took over in 2001. ... read full story / add a comment

Amy Hall meets outspoken Filipino campaigner Lidy Nacpil, who shares her thoughts on floods, solidarity and ramming home the climate-change message.
... read full story / add a comment

A look at the ongoing GM potato trials in Ireland, the European context, a little bit of history and analysis as well as important information on patent holders.
... read full story / add a comment

This morning members of Rossport Solidarity Camp disrupted Pat Rabbitte while he spoke at a conference at the Science Gallery in Dublin entitled "The Future of Energy: Dreams and Responsibilities"[1] ... read full story / add a comment

Teagasc has confirmed that it has already planted out Genetically Modified potatoes at its site in Co. Carlow – despite a period for legal challenges running to 25th October. The three month window opened after the trial received approval from the EPA in July.

... read full story / add a comment

This week Shell have recommenced work, eager to get a move on after the whole TBM-in-a-ditch saga. The Tunnel Boring Machine is still in the Bellanaboy refinery and they haven't made an attempt to move it the last 2km to Aughoose yet. Most of the work seems to be laying a track down from the back of Bellanaboy along the proposed route of the pipeline. So of course we at the solidarity camp have been very busy too: ... read full story / add a comment

This morning at about 4am hundreds of Gardaí and Shell private security (IRMS) mobilised to Glenamoy crossroads where sections of Shell's tunnel boring machine has been stuck on a jack-knifed lorry for the last number of days. Since then convoys of lorrys have been hauling stone from a stock pile inside the refinery to the site, dumping it into the field below the cab of the jack- knifed lorry. It is thought that they need better foundations than the bog road and fields in order to use a crane big enough to lift the weight of the lorry and the TBM and want to extend the road for the cab. ... read full story / add a comment

The TBM has been sighted at Dublin docks tonight (Sun) in three trucks, and is allegedly setting off towards Rossport this evening. ... read full story / add a comment

This is in response to the article 'Frank Convery, Yvonne Scannell, Fracking and Local Credibility in Ireland' published in Irish Environment on May 30: http://www.irishenvironment.com/commentary/frank-conver...land/
... read full story / add a comment

At the time of the magnitude 4 earthquake detected on the Mayo coast on Wednesday morning, "seismic survey" vessels contracted to Shell E&P Ireland were scheduled to be in the process of using high-energy explosive pulses to probe the deep rock strata within 10-15km of the quake zone. ... read full story / add a comment

Public meeting in Connolly Books in Temple Bar on Saturday 16th June @ 3pm on: Saving the Planet or Saving Capitalism? ... read full story / add a comment

Shell Ireland have announced that they are to carry out more seismic surveying of the offshore pipeline which is supposed to carry raw gas from the sea bed to their valve at the landfall. The survey is scheduled to take place from June 1st 2012 and although they are vague about how liong it will take, they say the survey should be completed by the end of September. If there are protests, it might not be completed at all.

Full details here: http://www.transport.ie/upload/general/13495-MN17OF2012...1.PDF ... read full story / add a comment

Yesterday's prestigious Planet Under Pressure 2012 conference in the International Conference Centre (ICC) at the ExCeL Centre, London was interrupted by two London Rising Tide protesters. ... read full story / add a comment

A group of us are trying to get a DIY venue collective off the ground, this gig will take place to raise money for getting our own space in the future and to get the feel of how it will be running such events.

April 6th €8 Suggested Donation Cheap Vegan/Veggie Food at 7.30, bands start at 8.30

BRING YOUR OWN BOOZE - DON'T FORGET TO BUY IT ON THURSDAY.

The gig will be held in 43 Gardener Lane (some of you might remember it as Gardener Lane Studios).
http://maps.google.ie/maps/place?hl=en&georestrict=inpu...55efe
... read full story / add a comment

Dr. John O’Connor and Jessica Ernst from Canada gave a series of talks on ‘The realities of hydraulic fracturing and associated health risks’ across Ireland. This is a write-up of their talks on fracking in Sligo. ... read full story / add a comment