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Charles Stanley-Smith has undertaken over 4 years as Chair of An Taisce and as he
stated at the AGM he feels that it is time that another person took over as Chair
to ensure the continuance of the good work of An Taisce. Also, unfortunately Alice
Charles, who was elected Vice-Chair at the AGM has had to tender her resignation
for genuine and selfless reasons.
At the last Council meeting Charles outlined a succession plan. That an election
for Vice-Chair be held at the next Council Meeting on October 1st. Charles will
then work with that elected person in a hand-over until the December Councl meeting
at which time Charles will retire and we hold an election for Chair. It would be
expected that the person elected Vice-Chair in October would be a strong candidate
for the election of Chair in December, but obviously we cannot prescribe who should
be nominated for the position of Chair at the December Election.
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The Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability
"Designing systems for a changing world"
National Strategies for dealing with Ireland’s debt crisis
Exploring the options
Thursday afternoon 22nd – Friday 23rd September
Mont Clare Hotel, Merrion Square, Dublin
Ireland’s current national economic and monetary strategy
has been described as ‘relying on the kindness of strangers’. Very few
alternatives to the current policy approaches have been properly explored. There
are plausible reasons for this – the fear of an adverse market response, the
lack of intellectual leadership, perhaps the vested interests of the status quo.
Whatever the reason, alternative strategies that Ireland could adopt to deal with
its unprecedented debt crisis need to be fully explored and debated. Feasta’s
autumn conference will examine measures that this country could adopt to secure
its economic future which do not leave it reliant on external factors, largely outside
of its control.
This two-day event will address several key questions –
Can Ireland rely on global economic growth to resolve its public debt crisis?
What is the relationship between energy, the crisis and future economic growth?
What about private debt problems including mortgage debt? Can the Euro survive?
Should Ireland plan for a Euro-zone break up? Is anything to be gained by leaving
first? Could a new Irish currency working in parallel with the Euro be a better
solution?
Leading international economists have been invited to respond to
these important questions:
- US based Marshall Auerback
(Roosevelt Institute Fellow &
global portfolio strategist for Madison Street Partners, LLC)
will address the quandary of the Eurozone from a provocative new monetary perspective.
- Prof. Charles Goodhart (member
of the Financial Markets Group at the London School of Economics & former monetary
adviser to the Bank of England) will discuss the merits of a parallel/ secondary
currency model.
- Bernard Lietaer
(author of ‘The Future of Money’ & international expert
in currency systems) will share his insights into the
potential benefits of regional currencies within a larger monetary union.
Respected Irish economists of both mainstream and alternative viewpoints will engage
with these ideas, discuss their own proposals and fully explore the options available
to Ireland. Speakers include Fergal O'Brien (Chief Economist IBEC),
Richard Douthwaite (Sustainability Economist and Author), Dan
O'Brien (Economic Editor Irish Times), Paul Sweeney
( Economist with ICTU), Prof Ray Kinsella (UCD,
Michael Smurfit Business School). Constantin Gurdjiev (Adjunct
Prof. of Economics TCD) and David Korowicz
(Physicist and Human Systems Ecologist)
The audience will be encouraged to fully participate in the debate, which will be
stimulated by Moderators who are also expert in their fields. Moderators include
David McWilliams (Economist), Peter Matthews
TD (Banker and Fine Gael TD), Prof. Terrence McDonough
(Economics Dept. NUIG), Karl Deeter (Irish Mortgage Brokers),
Graham Barnes (IT Currency Consultant), Deirdre de Burca
(Former Green Party Spokesperson on EU affairs) and Emer O’Siochru
(Architect and Renewable Energy Developer)
The conference is aimed at economists, politicians, policy-makers, business people,
social partners and other interested parties.
Date:
Thurs & Friday
September 22nd & 23rd
Registration:
1.00pm Thursday 22nd
Sept.
Conference:
Thurs 2.00p.m—5.30
p.m
Friday 10am – 4pm
Venue:
Mont Clare Hotel,
Merrion Square
Dublin 2.
Conference Fee:
€80 full conference, €60 one day,
€250 Corporate Fee
Concessions for Feasta and IEN members.
Advance booking is essential
www.feasta.org/debt-conference/registration_form.php
Further information www.feasta.org/debt-conference
Contacts: Emer O’Siochru
(general enquiries) emerosiochru@gmail.com
Mobile. 086 826 7555
Rachel Henderson (media
enquiries) rachel@feasta.org
086 843 8379
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An Taisce called for a moratorium on ‘Fracking’ in a presentation
to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht.
At yesterday’s Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment, Transport, Culture
and the Gaeltacht Charles Stanley-Smith, Chair of An Taisce The National Trust for
Ireland stated “An Taisce is calling for a Ban on ‘Fracking’ until
such time as the People of Ireland can be convinced that it is possible to regulate
Fracking, so that it can be undertaken sustainably and as a result there will be
no environmental, social or economic harm.”
He continued “Fracking has gained a very poor reputation in recent years,
with many cases of environmental and societal damage recorded in the US. Much
of this is due to the large amount of land used and its proximity to population
and groundwater. Many would say that the pollution was caused by lax regulation
in the past. Others say that Europe and Ireland can learn from the mistakes
of the US and ‘Frack’ under ‘Best Practices’. Unfortunately,
Ireland has an extremely poor history of environmental enforcement and the environmental
threats of Fracking are many and due to the hundreds of sites involved will be cumulative.
Can you really convince the People of Ireland that ‘this time it will be OK’?”
“An Taisce is very aware of the potential jobs that ‘Fracking’
could provide so we are also calling for a full ‘Life Cycle Analysis’
to be undertaken on Fracking to see if it will really bring benefits to the People
of Ireland and at what risk?”
Download An
Taisce’s Presentation from here
There are three phases to the exploitation of Shale Gas in Ireland.
- The first phase is the application to and issuing Onshore Licensing Options,
which are meant to produce information. By late 2012 or early 2013, an the assessment
of the petroleum resource potential for the area must be provided along with
costed plans for further exploration or exploitation. This phase will
not include fracking but may include ‘shallow geological sampling’ (drilling
to 200 metres). We question why this phase does not require Planning Permission
and the usual EIA’s etc.
- The second stage is the application for an Exploration License, which does involve
drilling and may involve test fracking. We take it will require Planning
Permission for each drilling site – which will according to Minister Rabbitte,
require an Environmental Impact Assessment.
- The Third Stage is the exploitation stage, which will not only require a number
of wells and associated fracking infrastructure but also a system of gathering pipelines
and infrastructure to deliver the gas to the grid. All of which will require
Planning Permission.
The current licences are for phase one and we therefore have 12 to 18 months in
which to ensure that a full and rigorous set of regulations is put in place before
there is any drilling or fracking under exploration licences. The process of creating
these regulations must include full public participation and must take into
account a realistic view of the authorities’ ability to police the regulations.
We also need to determine if there are specific requirements in the Environmental
Impact Assessment.
The threats to the environment from leaking gas and the chemicals used in fracking
are real. The people are entitled the information on this and to participation
in the decision making to ensure that any exploration or extraction of Shale
Gas is environmentally, socially and economically safe.
If we cannot show that the safety of the people and the environment can be safeguarded,
then fracking should be banned.
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We welcomes Minister Shatter’s decision on Super-Casinos and his statement that
future Casino licensing law would not allow for “large resort-style casinos, such
as have been proposed by some promoters”
Justice Minister Alan Shatter announced
today (21st September) that Cabinet has decided there is no need for a resort-style
casino in Ireland and provisions will be made for more modest-sized casinos under
new up-coming gambling legislation. He said the plan was far too big and the legislation
will provide for smaller licenced operations. “There is no social benefit in a resort
of this scale,” he said. “The new legislation will provide for more modest-sized
establishments.”
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An Taisce Calls for joined up thinking between the Commission for Energy Regulation,
The Department of Environment and Planning Authorities.
An Taisce recently appealed two wind farms on environmental concerns, one in Co.
Galway (PL07.238734) and one in County Clare (PL03 .237524). Last week An
Bord Pleanála refused planning permission for the one in Co. Galway and this
week they granted planning permission for the one in Co. Clare but this may never
be connected to the Grid.
Connection of wind farms to the electricity Grid is conducted on a queuing basis,
first come, first served. The proposed Co. Galway wind farm has an offer of
being connected to the electricity Grid in ‘Gate 3’, which is the third
application period. (It is possible to get a Grid connection offer without
having planning permission or without even owning or having land leased.)
The Co. Clare wind farm did not get an application within the ‘Gate 3’
period. This means it must wait until the next application period to get a
Grid connection offer. This could take years.
Charles Stanley-Smith, Chair of An Taisce The National Trust for Ireland states
“An Taisce appealed both wind farms to An Bord Pleanála on environmental
concerns and we now have one wind farm with planning permission but no grid connection
and one wind farm with a grid connection and no planning permission. An Taisce
is calling for a review of the Gate system to break this impasse and allow a second
gate for connections to wind farms with planning permission.”
“We further need a National Spatial Strategy for Wind Energy that prioritises
Environmental concerns for selection of suitable areas for wind farms and is tied
to a Connection Strategy that prioritises connectivity to these suitable areas.
This calls for a comprehensively integrated system between the Commission for Energy
Regulation, The Department of Environment and Planning Authorities. ”.
He continued “We have a target of 40% renewable energy electricity by
2020, we haven’t even achieved our 2010 target of 15%. Last year in
fact, fossil fuel generated electricity increased while that of renewable energy
decreased. This flies in the face of our climate change commitments and does
nothing to improve the three main pillars of Irish and EU energy policy: security
of supply, energy efficiency and competitiveness. We urgently need strategic
thinking in our provision of renewable energy”.
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We are truly grateful for all the work that Anja Murray did for us in the 6 years that
she was Natural Environment Officer for An Taisce. I am sure that you will all join us in wishing Anja well in her
new post with Birdwatch Ireland and thank her for the work she did for An Taisce and the truly
professional way that she represented us in many different arenas.
We would like to do a more detailed appreciation in the next newsletter so please email us your appreciation for inclusion.
We would also like to take the opportunity of welcoming our new Environment Officer - Caoimhe Muldoon - she can be contacted on 01 7077063 and caoimhe.muldoon@antaisce.org
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Please spread the word to your friends, family and colleagues that Tailors’ Hall
is the ideal place for their special event or meeting.
The Tailors' Hall is available to those who like stylish and elegant surroundings
for their weddings or other functions like; film and photo shoots, music recitals,
private parties, launches etc.
Hire of the Hall for your event includes the front courtyard, an ideal place for
assembly, photographs etc., The building is equipped with a fitted kitchen, disabled
access and bathroom.
The Great Hall has the elegance you expect from an early 18th century building.
The Lower Hall, with its beamed ceiling and original stone walls, is ideal for entertainment
of your choice.
We can advise you on how to put it all together and who supplies what to make your
day complete.
For a reception with a difference, The Tailors’ Hall in Dublin is both beautiful
and historic.
WEDDINGS – RECEPTIONS – DINNER DANCES – CONFERENCES – EXHIBITIONS – PRODUCT LAUNCHES
CIVIL MARRIAGES- FILM & PHOTO SHOOTS.
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Your views are important to An Taisce. Please don't hesitate to send us any feedback
on content, format, etc. of this newsletter, and if there are any topics in particular
that you'd like to see covered, we'll do our best to get them in.
Tailors Hall,
Back Lane,
Dublin 8
Preserving our built and natural heritage for future generations
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