BREAKING: Ireland's nitrates derogation has been renewed.🗳️ This has no scientific basis & fails nature, the public, & farmers. “The evidence simply did not exist to justify renewing Ireland’s nitrates derogation" "Meanwhile, our precious water and wildlife suffer.” swanireland.ie/2025/12/rene...

People across the island of Ireland want clean beaches, pristine lakes and rivers - and both governments are catastrophically failing them theearthscorr.substack.com/p/opinion-da...

Ireland's 'unique grass-based agriculture system'

Calling this something farmers will “enjoy” is absurd. Corporate interests get the profits, and the environmental damage gets dumped on everyone else. This is an unforgivable breach of the social contract between the Irish Government and the Irish people.

Instead of listening to the science & working with farmers to transition to sustainable stocking levels the Commission & Irish government have decided to usher farmers further down a ruinous path. We can't face into another Nitrates Derogation circus in 2 yrs time. Now is the time to turn the page.

Sorry Lady's Island Lake, your prospects just got a lot dimmer thanks to the Irish government's support for the dairy industry at all costs. Thanks to @elainemcgoff.bsky.social for spelling it out so clearly. www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

Excellent article from @elainemcgoff.bsky.social on the many, many failures that have led us to where we are. Nobody asked the people of this country if we were willing to sacrifice our waterways so the dairy industry could wallow in profits www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

"Our waters are crying out for a break from the pollution, Irish people are calling for clean water, but our voices are being drowned out in a world of political wrangling and vested interest. And the thing is, you can’t drink politics" www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm... #nitratesderogation

You've until 5pm today to let govt know what you think of their plan for agricultural nitrates pollution. All you need to do is send an email. In the post linked below we've some measures we feel should be in there & if you think they should be in there let them know. swanireland.ie/nitrates-pol...

Ireland once again in the dock, for issues that @antaisce.bsky.social & SWAN have long highlighted as being legally problematic. Amongst other serious issues, this judgement highlights that the arterial drainage act is not compliant with the WFD. Time to give that archaic legislation the boot!

A ‘national embarrassment’: Ireland in breach of multiple water quality rules, court finds

A ‘national embarrassment’: Ireland in breach of multiple water quality rules, court finds www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

The Lie of the Land: A Game Plan for Ireland in the Climate Crisis should be read by everyone who cares about our future on this island. Great discussion with @thinkorswim.bsky.social and @whittledaway.bsky.social at @booksupstairs.bsky.social yesterday, thanks to all involved 🙏👏📚

New CCAC #climate report covered on multiple RTÉ news bulletins just now, incl. Morning Ireland interview with chair, Marie Donnelly. Total mentions of agriculture, Ireland’s largest source of emissions: zero.

Looking at you @stopclimatechaos.bsky.social and @foeireland.bsky.social

@ellamcsweeney.bsky.social doing a great report right now on Marine Protected Areas in Ireland on this morning's @rteone.rte.ie CountryWide. 👏

It's not just ambition on climate action that's being run down, but nature. Planet Earth is in the fight of its life and, on balance, those of us who are its allies are losing. It's our duty to work out why, and act on it. share.google/N0QU31GX4Znw...

“Ireland’s derogation farmers” - are those the ones responsible for the pollution that plagues our natural environment and is killing off water bodies like #LoughDerg and #LadysIslandLake?

'Hijacked'? 'Pushing an agenda'? It's called EU law, namely the Habitats Directive, it's been in place for decades, & like most laws Ireland is failing to do that well, while our biodiversity pays the price. So, yes, eNGOs are pushing it. Unapologetically. www.farmersjournal.ie/news/news/wa...

I've just signed this petition to save Lady's Island Lake, Co. Wexford. Will you sign your name too? my.uplift.ie/petitions/sa... @uplift.ie

Keep up the good work @elainemcgoff.bsky.social! Our government’s willingness to sacrifice nature for profit is disgraceful. How many rivers and lakes must die before they wake up and change course? www.antaisce.org/news/an-tais...

Today I endeavoured to speak for the rivers, to provide a counter balance to the lobbyist's narrative on the polluting nitrates derogation. Our rivers, lakes and seas deserve a chance to run healthy, wild and free from pollution www.antaisce.org/news/an-tais...

Why is the Government playing chicken with Europe on climate? My latest for the Irish Times. www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

For those in any doubt, the ongoing nitrates derogation debate is not about the science on water quality, it's political wrangling, with our rivers, lakes and seas caught in the crossfire. Our waterways deserve better- one can't drink politics. www.rte.ie/news/politic...

Taoiseach decries slump in #climate action…abroad, of course. Meanwhile, back home, Taoiseach opposes solar farms & 100% supports Ireland’s climate-destroying and water-polluting livestock sector. Go figure. www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Happy World Vegan Day! A reminder that a vegan diet is not just kinder to animals and better for our health - it's an essential action we can all take to halt climate breakdown and biodiversity loss.

HAPPY WORLD VEGAN DAY 🌱❤️ Today we celebrate everyone who chooses kindness and compassion for animals, every single day. 💚 A vegan lifestyle means proudly standing against animal cruelty, reducing your environmental footprint and showing that a compassionate future is possible. #Vegan #AusPol

Really pleased to get a great plug for THE LIE OF THE LAND when on the @tonightvmtv.bsky.social Show earlier this week.

Most of Ireland's uplands are commonage, ie co-owned by local farmers. The ONLY real income from commonage is via subsidies, almost always for ecosystem-killing sheep. This is why Irish mountains are all empty wastelands, kept that way by your taxes. Why are we STILL not paying farmers to rewild??

Over half of farms in West Cork fail pollution inspections. Clearly the fear of losing the nitrates derogation is not sufficient motivation to change behaviour. www.southernstar.ie/farming/over...

Wonderful to see well-researched & inspiring 'Lie of the Land' by environmental journalist John Gibbons on Irish Book Awards shortlist. Sole book on Irish environmental issues in non-fiction category. Public vote open until 16 Nov: www.irishbookawards.ie/nominee/the-... @thinkorswim.bsky.social

Enjoyed taking part on a panel at the ‘Feeding Ourselves’ conference in TCD this afternoon. Packed audience, lots of insights & inspiring presentations, including from Talamh Beo & Seán McCabe, Bohemians football club.

Very glad to hear Prof John Sweeney draw a direct line between Hurricane Melissa and the need for climate action on RTÉ Drivetime a little while ago. Would be good if our political leaders showed a bit more willingness to draw the same connections rather than looking for excuses not to act.

The commission may well acquiesce. Sadly physics doesn’t do discounts or bargains and it keeps receipts. If we want a liveable future for future generations on a world that has a climate even recognisably like ours our energy should be being spent on doubling down on climate action…

“But there’s no interest in #climate change any more!” Barely a fortnight on YouTube and Global Warning has already been watched half a million times. Plus look at the appetite in the comments for more reliable info. @aljazeera.com has made them free to air so share them. youtu.be/F8vI5_gN90g?...

In their Letter to the Editor published in the Irish Times @irishtimes.com, the scientists set the record straight by rebutting multiple errors in John FitzGerald's opinion piece last week: "Framing the debate as a false dichotomy...distracts from the real choices" www.irishtimes.com/opinion/lett...

🥩 #LIVESTOCK has proven *at least* as culpable for the CLIMATE CRISIS as #FossilFuels -so when are the climate leaders/scientists going to start telling the masses in no uncertain terms that the only hope of mitigation is an immediate transition to a plant based food system? #DEFORESTATION #COLLAPSE

Negotiating or trying to cut a deal with physics really is a mug’s game, as our children will find out soon enough. www.rte.ie/news/analysi...

If you're in the vicinity of Skibbereen, Co. Cork tomorrow evening, I'm doing an Open Evening with Green Skibbereen at Myross Wood House to discuss THE LIE OF THE LAND & the wider #climate emergency. Do come along. Details below: www.tickettailor.com/events/cecas...

"At a time when we never have to know who grew the food on our plates, McNally’s is a reminder of what’s possible – that even in a capital city, it’s possible to know the name and the story of the woman, her husband and their children, who have laboured so we can eat well." This is brilliant!

👏👏👏👏

Astounding that the first substantive mention of #climate in entire Presidential election campaign should occur during Catherine Connolly’s acceptance speech, which she rightly labelled an “existential crisis”. Neither the main political parties nor our national media seem remotely interested.

October in Ireland. Apples from New Zealand. Our food system is completely broken. We could grow these ourselves, but instead, we ship them 18,000 km. If we can’t grow and eat what’s in season here, how can we talk about food security?

Congratulations John, well deserved! We're reading your book now and will be discussing it on zoom next Wednesday 29th. Everyone is welcome to join us!

With halloween coming up, this is good to note! Let's think of our wildlife friends when choosing this year's decor 🦉  Repost from @wastefreeplanet

"Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael want people who are disillusioned, who are angry with the political establishment to stay at home or to spoil their vote. That's the best thing that can happen for them." Get out and use your vote tomorrow to vote #Connolly4President for #Aras25

It’s nearly voting time! We strongly encourage everyone to get out and vote this Friday for Ireland’s new President. Animal Rebellion Ireland are happy to share our statement of support for Catherine Connolly ☘️ ✨ Use your voice and vote this Friday 24th October! 👏

This very short video by @ethicalfarmie.bsky.social clearly shows the horrors of #LiveExport. Young Irish bulls are still being subjected to this and even shipped outside the EU where the EU 'protections' don't apply. This needs to end now!