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...

“Each square shows that when we weave our stories together, we create something stronger and more beautiful than any of us could alone.” A powerful message is travelling to Cop30 in the form of this amazing quilt, made by climate & nature groups across Ireland 💙 www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

@saveladyislandlake.bsky.social hosting important public meeting at 7pm on Nov 17 at Lady’s Island Community Centre on nitrate pollution. An Taisce's Head of Advocacy & freshwater expert @elainemcgoff.bsky.social will be speaking on the science behind this ecological crisis. #SaveLadysIslandLake

“The Government made a commitment to introduce vital Marine Protected Area (MPA) legislation in 2023, but this has yet to be delivered. Lack of political will is the biggest barrier we face." Great spotlight on @fairseas.ie work to protect Ireland's seas 👇 www.independent.ie/life/climate...

Urban wastewater treatment is the 4th greatest pressure on Irish water quality. Some of that could be fixed by infrastructure, but almost half of the pollution is due to poor operational management. The solution is not less environmental scrutiny. www.irishexaminer.com/news/politic...

For years, @coastwatch-ire.bsky.social have been coordinating citizen scientists to survey seagrass habitat around Ireland. Now, they've published a new national map of seagrass beds, helping provide the data needed to protect these vital ecosystems 👏👏 www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/ou...

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...

Healthy seas = healthy people 🐳 🎣 We need legislation on Marine Protected Areas. Now. Sign the @fairseas.ie petition. Add your name. Add the pressure 📢 only.one/act/30x30-ir... #FairSeas #OceanAction #Petition

Great to see farmers, landowners, anglers, ecologists + community members coming together to reverse decades of pollution at Lough Carra. The community is halfway through its 5 year plan and momentum is only growing! www.rte.ie/news/connach...

Lough Derg is drifting towards the fate of Lough Neagh, that once great lake now all but dead. Great article by @ellamcsweeney.bsky.social 👇 www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Dec 2020 - Uisce Eireann fined just €2000 for pollution incident in Cavan River. Feb and July 2023 more pollution incidents from UE on same river. UE fined just €3500 for July incident resulting in fish kil. Paltry fines not working. www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

EPA report - despite improvements about a 3rd of local authorities are still not meeting the required standards for water enforcement for farmyards, farmland & discharge licenses/misconnections (no improvement here!) Not good enough! www.epa.ie/publications...

Small Fish, Big Impact. 🌊 Last week, Grace, our Marine Advocacy Officer, spoke at an Ocean Week event in the EU Parliament. She highlighted the underlying issues in achieving sustainable inshore fisheries in Irish waters. @fairseas.ie @seasatrisk.bsky.social #EUOceanWeek #FairSeas

Such a joy to be part of this event in Brussels for #EUOceanWeek! 🩵

Which of Ireland’s waterways are most in trouble from agriculture and human activity? www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

The max fine for a company who causes a fish kill through illegal pollution is usually just €5,000. And that's if anyone is even held responsible 👎 To actually stop nature destruction, we need a system with strong regulation and penalties.

EPA Report Shows Much Stronger Action is Needed on Water Quality - SWAN "Despite government rhetoric, the real improvements needed to restore our rivers, lakes, and seas to good health just aren’t happening after over fifteen years of decline." swanireland.ie/2025/10/epa-...

No surprises here but will the rhetoric change? I doubt it. 'Despite all the rhetoric about saving our nitrates derogation and turning the tide on water quality in Ireland, there is still no evidence of the necessary improvement across the board in our waters.' www.antaisce.org/news/decade-...

Half of Ireland’s rivers, lakes and estuaries in unhealthy state as standards slide again. Successive governments have "engaged in rhetoric around restoring rivers and lakes to health rather than implementing real measures to prevent decline." - SWAN www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

"the most extensive study"... "examined 50 MPAs across 31 countries. In every case, these protected zones boosted fishing and tourism." "The smarter, economically successful vision is one of abundance from MPAs." www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

The shocking list of chemicals and treatments that are allowed to be used in so called 'organic' salmon from fish farms in Ireland highlighted by SWAN Marine & Coastal Policy Officer at the @salmonwatchireland.bsky.social conference.

At @salmonwatchireland.bsky.social conference hearing how protected area environmental assessments for fish farms must now consider the significant negative effects of sea lice from fish farms on wild salmon found in recent 2025 research paper.

SWAN Calls for More Urgent Action as EPA Report Exposes Persistent Sewage Failures It “shows that more than 40% of the pollution failures are down to issues that could be rapidly addressed such as poor plant operation & inadequate maintenance & training" swanireland.ie/2025/10/swan...

EPA report: 💩 59% of sewage plants pollute our rivers & seas 😬40% of the failures can be quickly avoided as due to poor procedures, maintenance & training Robust training & preventative maintenance + more urgent timelines on infrastructure needed. www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Bígí linn sa Bhruiséil le Conradh na Gaeilge An Bhruiseil 🎉 👉 Teach Tábhairne Kitty O'Seas ar Bd Charlemagne 42, An Bhruiséil. 👈 20:30 - 15 Deireadh Fomhair - - - Join us for a special EU #OceanWeek event! Kitty O'Sheas Pub on Bd Charlemagne 42, Brussels. 8:30pm - 15 October 2025. #FairSeas

Shame that Cork angling clubs need to take action into their own hands in the absence of govt leadership 👎 "Local anglers & the communities have now lost confidence in these agencies to carry out their statutory duty to protect our rivers, waterways & lakes" www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster...

Sharp decline in water quality in Tipperary caused by agriculture, a meeting of Clonmel Borough District has been told. Lawpro will be looking into what type of agriculture was responsible, and where the hotspots were. www.tipperarylive.ie/news/local-n...

Great role for anyone who cares about protecting Ireland's precious marine areas and wildlife 🐟

SWAN members are in the European Parliament today meeting with MEPs and raising water protection and restoration issues.💧🇪🇺

How many chances should be given to get it right? Non-compliance under our licence system appears to be more the norm than the aberration when it comes to protecting our water quality Insights from last night's Joint Committee on Climate, Environment & Energy session on River Blackwater fish kill

🚌 Ready to roll! Our own OmniBus is hitting the streets today Citizens are speaking up against the deregulation of environmental laws, and we’re bringing their message @ec.europa.eu: don’t throw nature under the bus! #HandsOffNature

“The Blackwater disaster is a warning that Ireland can no longer tolerate chronic polluters,” said SWI. “Persistent licence breaches must be met with the strongest enforcement tools available — including more effective court sanctions and licence withdrawal.” www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

The State of Europe’s Environment report for Ireland: "The water quality assessment is poor, with no net improvement in river or lake quality" "Compliance with EU obligations remains a challenge." 😢😳 "The assessment of nature is very poor" 😢😳 www.eea.europa.eu/en/europe-en...

‘Some big polluter is breathing sigh of relief’: Questions remain over Blackwater fish kill Inconclusive report must not be last word on devastating incident. www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Celebrating #WorldRiversDay with this beautiful old Irish proverb. When was the last time you listened to your local river? 💙🐟

Excellent piece on @rte.ie CountryWide programme on the fish kill on the Blackwater. Need for rapid response, effective monitoring, restoring natural river states, changes needed due to climate change and more discussed. 👇 www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...

So that's it then. The biggest fish kill in the history of the State, and we're just going to move on, with no idea who or what caused it? It would be better to label it a river kill. Some major polluter is today breathing a sign of relief, while the river Blackwater remains half dead. 🧵

Report into the Blackwater fish kill raises many Qs: Why were dead fish spotted on Aug 9th & the EPA only aware by Aug 12th? ➕ 4 of the 31 facilities investigated had discharges that were not compliant with license requirements. Why is this happening? www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Fair Seas unveil 200ft hourglass in sand after it was announced that it will be the middle of 2026 before any MPA legislation is passed. Press Release: https://fairseas.ie/2025/09/24/time-running-out-to-protect-irelands-seas/  #FairSeas

🚨 Big water news from Brussels: EU institutions have just struck a deal on updated water pollution rules. It includes tougher standards for PFAS, pesticides like glyphosate, and pharmaceutical pollution - but there's a catch. The deal delays action until 2039… Press release in comments ⬇️

If you've been watching Prime Time & you want to do something to get marine protected areas into law, then sign the @fairseas.ie petition to the Irish Govt asking to get a move on. Join over 80,000 people who have already signed. Let's get it to 100,000! 🌊✊#rtept

It's 17 years since I've been on the beautiful Lough Carra, and the unusual white marl that gives the water a distinctive turquoise look is sadly looking very green now on foot of nutrient pollution. Another treasure being slowly lost to us all.

Net loss? Why Ireland trails Europe on marine protection. 🦈🌊 Don't miss this tonight on RTE's Prime Time at 10.35pm after #TraitorsIreland 👀 #rtept www.rte.ie/news/primeti...

PFAS pollution survives indefinitely in our waterways, yet a new report shows "there is no action plan or strategy dedicated to PFAS in Ireland"

The EU has approved allowing processed manure (RENURE) to exceed nitrogen limits without conducting a proper impact assessment and before completing the ongoing evaluation (fitness check) of the Nitrates Directive, putting water quality at risk. We urge Irish MEPs to block this rollback.

Extremely disappointing news on the Blackwater fish kill. "It just goes to show the state bodies that are supposed to protect our fish don’t appear to be able to do so because if they can’t find the cause, how can they guarantee there won’t be a repeat?" www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Under the surface — how nitrates affect freshwater ecosystems and how we're failing to protect them An Taisce's Head of Advocacy is giving a special talk for Lough Carra Catchment Association 8pm 23 September, Carnacon Centre, F12NY38 Mayo Details: www.loughcarralife.ie @elainemcgoff.bsky.social

Simplification or sabotage? EU’s nature agenda under pressure #HandsOFFNature www.birdlife.org/news/2025/09...

An EPA report has indicated that nitrogen levels have increased 16% in the first 6 months of 2025 and these are 'reasonable predictors' for the year. However, older reports showed there was a decrease of 10% in 2024, so what can we take from this? 🧵

An Taisce on new EPA report 👇 "this report is more bad news for the people and the wildlife in those areas [South & South East], indicating that many rivers in these areas will remain significantly polluted unless stronger measures are implemented." www.antaisce.org/News/continu...