P r e s s R e l e a s
e
For Immediate Release 16th September
Six leading Irish environmental non-governmental organisations have called on the Government to give up the idea of swapping state owned land to facilitate an airstrip at Roundstone Bog, Co. Galway, much of which is designated a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the European Habitats Directive.
Consultations about the proposed swap are being held by Duchas, the Heritage Service of the Department of the Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, with a number of environmental groups and the public. However, the six NGOs claim that the principle of environmental protection in Ireland has received a "slap in the face."
Peter Foss of the Irish Peatland Conservation Council said "the same Minister is acting both as development agency and environmental protector. The Department is considering a land swap to facilitate development without any study of the impact of the proposal or of any alternative solutions - even though if the proposed land swap takes place it will be seen as a green light for the airport."
The six NGOs have placed Roundstone Bog at the top of their published list of endangered sites of Ireland.
The six NGOs - Birdwatch Ireland, the Irish Peatland Conservation Council, Coastwatch Europe, An Taisce, the Irish Wildlife Trust, and Crann - initially joined forces to release a list of damaged and threatened sites in May of this year. "Conflict continues at all of those sites and our representations to the Minister have not led to a single resolution. Not only this but we now have had to add four more sites to our list:
1. Roundstone Bog, County Galway: proposed land swap to facilitate air strip
2. Sutton, County Dublin: development of platform construction without planning permission or Foreshore License
3. Ballyheige, Co. Kerry: Continuing sewage discharge into Akeragh Lough
4. Barragone, County Limerick: A limestone pavement area threatened by neighbouring developments
The six NGOs have chosen to speak out on Roundstone Bog, a proposed World Heritage Site, because "a minority interest group has pressured the Minister into reopening this old debate after a similar proposal was clearly refused by the planning Appeals Board on environmental and amenity grounds eight years ago. Roundstone Bog must never be touched at all."
The NGOs are mailing all the members of their respective organisations in the Clare Galway area asking them to attend the clinics of Minister de Valera and Minister O Cuiv. Members who live elsewhere are being asked to write to the Ministers directly.
"Regretfully" welcoming the European Commission's recently announced decision to apply to the European Court of Justice over Ireland's failure to implement the Habitats Directive, the NGOs called on the Ministers to devote their energies to their statutory duties under the Habitats Directive by forwarding the full list of designated to the European Commission and by publishing the long delayed revision of the Wildlife Act of 1976.
More: Roundstone Bog: Peter Foss, IPCC 01 8722397
All Endangered Sites: Jackie Hunt, Birdwatch Ireland 01 2804322
EDITOR'S NOTE 1: The Irish Peatland Conservation Council is
a national charity and is entirely supported by voluntary contributions.
Conservation projects include: purchasing bogland nature reserves,
providing resources and training for teachers and education groups,
repairing damaged bogs, fostering a positive attitude towards
bogs, and encouraging lifestyles in harmony with the environment.
The IPCC can be contacted at: Capel Chambers, 119 Capel Street,
Dublin 1. Tel: 01-872 2397. Registered Charity Number: CHY6829
EDITOR'S NOTE 2: The work of the Irish Peatland Conservation
Council is supported by the FÁS Community Employment and
the European Union.
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