"We are at a crossroads. Done right, MPAs could help to restore depleted fish stocks, protect our most endangered species & habitats, build climate resilience and support thriving coastal communities. Done poorly, they risk becoming another political gesture" www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

In case you missed this over the Christmas holidays... "Uisce Éireann reported more than 1,200 pollution incidents last year at its water and wastewater facilities" Just seven incidents resulted in prosecution in the year, amounting to just €22,500 in fines. www.independent.ie/irish-news/u...

🚨 JOB ALERT 🚨 We’re looking to hire a Communications Officer💧📣 💙 Want to join the team? 💙 💧€30,400 – €34,400 for 4 days per week 💧 Apply by January 18th 💧Job description: https://swanireland.ie/about-us/work-with-swan/communications-officer/ #IrishJobs #jobfairy #GreenJobs #ConservationJobs

🚨 JOB ALERT 🚨 We’re looking to hire a Communications Officer💧📣 💙 Want to join the team? 💙 💧€30,400 – €34,400 for 4 days per week 💧 Apply by January 18th 💧Job description: https://swanireland.ie/about-us/work-with-swan/communications-officer/ #IrishJobs #jobfairy #GreenJobs #ConservationJobs

Nollaig Shona to all our supporters. ❄️ And here's to a wonderful 2026 for our precious rivers, lakes and seas, and all who rely on them for life. 🦦 🐟🐬🪼🌿🦈👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

🚨 JOB ALERT 🚨 We’re looking to hire a Communications Officer💧📣 💙 Want to join the team? 💙 💧€30,400 – €34,400 for 4 days per week 💧 Apply by January 18th 💧Job description: https://swanireland.ie/about-us/work-with-swan/communications-officer/ #IrishJobs #jobfairy #GreenJobs #ConservationJobs

It's worth cataloguing what has happened in the water world in the last few weeks alone. It paints a picture of a Government who are not at all prioritising the health of our waterways, and who are failing on multiple fronts to put in place the measures we actually need. A watery rant 🧵

It's just over 3 weeks since Ireland was found in breach by the ECJ for failing to protect waterbodies from physical damage. The government response? Lower the legal bar for these waterbodies, so the damage can continue, with insufficient justification. Our waterways are not in safe hands.

Despite nearly 1000 of you making submissions to halt the weakening of environmental standards for 1 in 10 of our rivers and lakes the govt signed off on it! 😥 This, without the evidence that such a drastic move was either necessary or justified. It is unacceptable. swanireland.ie/2025/12/weak...

"The derogation will not abide indefinitely and may in fact end abruptly if water quality has not improved materially. What will happen to farmers then, left without a Plan B? Now is the time to build the off ramp, not extend dependence." www.mayonews.ie/news/local-n...

🚨 JOB ALERT 🚨 We’re looking to hire a Communications Officer💧📣 💙 Want to join the team? 💙 💧€30,400 – €34,400 for 4 days per week 💧 Apply by January 18th 💧Job description: swanireland.ie/about-us/wor... #IrishJobs #jobfairy #GreenJobs #ConservationJobs

Fair Seas Conference 2026 🇮🇪🐋 Cork City: 03 June 2026 Bringing ocean experts, fishing communities, government, industry & stakeholders together to map out next steps for designating & managing a network of Marine Protected Areas. tinyurl.com/FairSeasConference2026 #FairSeas

🚨 JOB ALERT 🚨 We’re looking to hire a Communications Officer💧📣 💙 Want to join the team? 💙 💧€30,400 – €34,400 for 4 days per week 💧 Apply by January 18th 💧Job description: swanireland.ie/about-us/wor... #IrishJobs #jobfairy #GreenJobs #ConservationJobs

The Irish Times view on nitrates and waterways: "Continuing to permit elevated stocking rates while Irish waters fail to recover is a policy position at odds with the directive’s purpose and Ireland’s own climate and biodiversity commitments." www.irishtimes.com/opinion/edit...

📢 New release: A Vision for fair, low-impact fisheries in Europe🌊shaped by fishers, scientists & civil society. We urge Commissioner Costas Kadis to take inspiration & bold action to drive a just transition for #OurOcean💙 #RethinkFisheries #PressRelease #Agrifish Read more: tinyurl.com/3sw67mbb

BREAKING: We're being referred to the top EU court for fines because our sewage systems don't meet EU law! Not only are the people of Ireland paying for govt slow progress on proper sewage treatment with unhealthy rivers & seas, now we may be paying fines for it too! ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

Almost all (90%) of Ireland’s natural habitats are in a poor condition, including coastal & freshwater. This is 5% more than 6 yrs ago. 51% are declining while only 9% show signs of improvement. Rather than solutions, govt are adding problems e.g. derogation😞 www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

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...

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 water is going green, yet the EU just approved YET another nitrates derogation... Rural communities have spoken: they want clean rivers, not more pollution. Science and public health are clear. It’s time to enforce the rules and safeguard Ireland’s waters. Press release & letter below👇

The government presents its demand for a new nitrates derogation (pollution permit) in Brussels as a demand of the Irish public. This counterpoint argues that it is actually being demanded by a subsection of the agriculture industry, and is in conflict with a genuine public interest: clean water

It looks likely that Ireland will indeed get another derogation. This is being widely hailed as a good outcome by our Government, but good for who? Most Irish people want clean water, not a nitrates derogation. Excellent analysis by @elainemcgoff.bsky.social

"Today’s vote by the European Nitrates Committee to approve an extension of Ireland’s nitrates derogation for another three years is a bad day for Irish waterbodies and for everyone who relies on clean quality water in Ireland" www.antaisce.org/news/eu-nitr...

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...

"Most Irish people want clean water, not a nitrates derogation" "the evidence tells us" "that nitrogen pollution in high-risk areas of the country, continues, unabated" "this dead, toxic water is the end point of our current trajectory if we don’t address" it www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

Ireland's nitrates derogation & water quality — survey reveals public value clean freshwaters & have negative attitudes to raising farming allowance on nitrates @epaireland.bsky.social find agriculture is a primary source of nitrogen pollution in our waters www.antaisce.org/news/public-...

Much needed fact-checking on water quality in Ireland by @whittledaway.bsky.social here 👇 "Honesty alone will not dig us out of the hole, but it would be a start."

The advisory committee on nature restoration has expressed “disappointment and frustration” at the exclusion of nature from a significant plan for public spending over the next decade - writes Caroline O Doherty. www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

When asked in polling whether Ireland should get a nitrates derogation, allowing some farmers to continue to be more intensive & to spread more slurry than the EU limit, most people who answered said no. So why has this been such a priority for the government, considering it is so polluting?

"Pollution and littering putting pressure on shorelines" "@coastwatch-ire.bsky.social survey shows some improvements in condition of coastal areas but also raises many concerns" www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

82% of people think healthy waters are very important but many underestimate how polluted our waters are & how much comes from agriculture. Nearly half don't know what the nitrates derogation is. Is govt lobbying to use the same level of nitrate pollutants from ag really in the public's interest?!

A new Ireland Thinks poll, commissioned by An Taisce, reveals Irish public appear at odds with Government’s application for a derogation from EU Nitrates Directive. It comes days before a crucial EU vote on the derogation expected on December 9th. Full results: www.antaisce.org/news/public-...

The EU's plan to revise its most important water law after a mining industry's request to promote “access to critical raw materials in the EU” is hugely worrying. It threatens to bring down European water standards. We need more protection for our waters, not more threats 🤚💧 #HandsOffNature

"Why is it now widely considered acceptable to heap pollutants into lakes until the ecosystems they once sustained are eliminated?" There's "no system in place to assess whether or not the land on derogation farms can absorb the extra nitrogen" Great piece 👇 www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/ou...

100s of old landfills left in limbo despite risk of leaking toxic waste into waterways The majority have not been certified by the EPA. 1/3 are classified as high or moderate risk. Over 1/2 of these have not even been submitted by councils for a certificate. 👇 www.thejournal.ie/investigates...

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...

You may have heard about Ireland looking for a "nitrates derogation" in the news. But what does it mean? Why are nitrates a problem? Why does the government want Ireland to be allowed to use more than the normal limits?🤔 Read our explainer and take the action. 💙💦🙌 swanireland.ie/nitrates-pol...

SWAN's submission to the draft 6th Nitrates Action Programme (NAP) is out. The NAP is meant to be a plan to tackle nutrient pollution in Ireland, but it fails in urgency & relies on inadequate measures that won't achieve what is needed to restore our waters. swanireland.ie/wp-content/u...

Ireland has failed to provide any evidence that the next nitrates derogation will provide solutions to our ever-worsening water quality. We aren't holding up our end of the bargain, and we haven't for decades. #NitratesDerogation #NitratePollution

I spoke to Pat Kenny earlier about the derogation decision 'In theory, we should only get the derogation on the condition that it not impact on water quality. We’re not holding up our end of the bargain, and we haven’t for decades ' www.newstalk.com/podcasts/hig...

IFI report finds that the 834 fish killed in Lough Sheelin was due to low oxygen levels resulting from environmental pressures, and high water temperatures that will become more frequent with climate change. We're wiping out our wildlife with pollution. 🐟💀 www.fisheriesireland.ie/news/media-r...

“This derogation decision is meant to be based on the science, but the evidence is very clearly indicating that we have a serious nitrogen pollution problem in Ireland, & the measures we’re putting in place to address that are not working” - @antaisce.bsky.social www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

You may have heard about Ireland looking for a "nitrates derogation" in the news. But what does it mean? Why are nitrates a problem? Why does the government want Ireland to be allowed to use more than the normal limits?🤔 Read our explainer and take the action. 💙💦🙌 swanireland.ie/nitrates-pol...

It's no wonder water quality is not improving, derogation farmers are being told to do things that will not stop nitrates from getting into the water — An Taisce's Head of Advocacy Dr Elaine McGoff with Philip Boucher-Hayes on RTÉ Radio 1 CountryWide #nitratepollution @elainemcgoff.bsky.social

Dairy plant suspends production after further pollution incident in Cork river "the difficulties at the plant must be resolved once and for all for the sake of the environment, the workers at the plant and for public confidence in the regulatory authorities." www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Great to see some strong EPA enforcement against North Cork Creameries for continuing to breach their licence. They're not allowed to discharge again until the EPA are satisfied they'll be compliant with their licence, which, given their track record, won't be easy thecurrency.news/articles/208...

Great to hear a scientist and environmentalist - @elainemcgoff.bsky.social - and a farmer in nitrates derogation separately say the same thing here: that the government-led drive for maximum productivity was a MASSIVE mistake, with our rivers and (now, potentially) farmers paying the price.

NEW REPORT: How powerful industry lobbies for agriculture, energy, mining + chemical sectors are pushing to weaken the EU's most important water legislation. It means more pollution instead of more protection for our vital waterways 👎 Report from Living Rivers Europe > eeb.org/library/indu...

I had the a welcome opportunity to move beyond the standard Punch & Judy media setup to properly look under the derogation hood, & explore why the Government measures are failing our waters & failing our farmers. www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...

Half of Cork farms inspected by Council failed water quality protection regulations www.independent.ie/regionals/co...