I was painted as a ‘pantomime villainess’: Maria Steen reflects on failed bid for presidency

Ireland against racism march today, meeting 1pm at Parnell Square. See you there!

The world is absolutely fucked and heading to some very dark places, so why not blow some of your apocalypse fund on exploring our very dark places on our brand new and debut album, just released today... UOUS - SCRAWLED (Cruel Nature Records) cruelnaturerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/scrawled

Don't worry, I'm sure we'll have a soft landing

Plenty to look forward to this weekend. Will you join us for #IBIKEBop on Friday 6pm parnell square? Additionally we’ll be taking to our bikes again on Saturday 2pm with DJ Dom Whiting for Drum & Bass on the Bike. We hope to see you Friday & again Saturday if you can join us! #CriticalMass #Dublin

The bus services in Walkinstown are changing in October. I've tried to summarise the differences here. This wasn't easy to put together, because the information is so hard to find! But loads of people rely on these buses. It's not good enough.

Nolan already had 47 prior convictions, including public order charges, 19 for drug offences and he had also been jailed previously for six months for dangerous driving. www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/co...

The 123 bus is being replaced by the 73. It's mostly the same, but with a few small changes... With @donnacooney1.bsky.social

In Brussels this week. Loving the effort that goes into making streets safer for people of all ages.

Some kids who cycle, and their parents, worry e-bikes are a danger to them. Design changes could improve the situation, an engineer says. But RSA statistics show the main danger to cyclists of all ages is people driving cars.

Wednesday afternoon's least surprising news ever... 🤬 "World’s oceans fail key health check as acidity crosses critical threshold for marine life. Scientists call for renewed global effort to curb fossil fuels as 7 of 9 planetary boundaries now transgressed." www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Big changes coming to Parnell Square...

The latest report on Basic Income for the Arts is clear - the pilot delivered net benefits for participants, society and for the State coffers. The Green Party believes the time has come for the Govt. to make this a permanent scheme in Budget 2026. @donnacooney1.bsky.social shorturl.at/lSI97

Summing up the argument to hold a plebiscite on electing a mayor, and the work that has to be done first.

And if there's one thing she knows all about, it's oppression www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Dubliners deserve a chance to elect their own mayor - or at least vote on whether to have an open election. The Green Party delivered the Citizens Assembly on a Directly Elected Mayor, which recommended that a plebiscite be held. But now other parties are stalling. Let Dubliners vote!

A Co Galway farmer has been ordered to pay a paltry €9,300 in penalties for the destruction of more than 4ha of limestone pavement in a Special Area of Conservation. How is the State going to ensure these habitats are replaced & what will it cost? www.rte.ie/news/regiona...

www.irishtimes.com/opinion/mari... - oh this is a real gem from Maria Steen - so much will come out in the wash if she makes into the ballot!

Another of dairy's dirty secrets: calculations on dairy slurry fails to reflect "dramatic increase in productivity of typical dairy cow in Ireland". Spoiler alert: more milk = more slurry (and more methane, nitrogen etc), as I explore in THE LIE OF THE LAND. www.agriland.ie/farming-news...

The Irish government has released a report on the benefits of the pilot for a Basic Income for the Arts, and in a total shocker, it seems like it was good for the country as well as the artists. Nobody could have seen this coming. #SpeirGorm #UBI www.gov.ie/en/departmen...

The view from the council chamber in City Hall, down traffic-free Parliament Street and traffic-free Capel Street...

Investors are backing enough LNG tanker capacity to put the world on track for 4C of warming. This is when we're on track for 3C of warming and aiming for well below 2C. Investors are backing assets that'd be stranded even under the worst climate scenarios. www.businessgreen.com/news/4519373...

We need to change everything. Step 1 - join.greenparty.org.uk

Delighted to be working with Save Lady’s Island Lake to highlight water pollution and work towards solutions that will reduce it.

Dairy farming is a profitable industry, but it produces pollutants that destroy rivers. We need to regulate farms and dairies accordingly.

Not all heroes wear capes — some just wade in. Barry McKee rescued a trapped gull in Ward Park and teamed up with the USPCA for urgent care. From ducks at Portavoe in 2019 to shelducks in 2021, Barry shows real leadership means acting when wildlife needs it most. 1/2

🧵This article published today about the perceived barriers to housing in Ireland opens with a well known Orwell quote. Opinions put forward in it, require that Orwellian concept of Doublethink - "the ability to hold two contradictory beliefs simultaneously and accept both as true". 1/11

Children in Northern Ireland spend too much time behind walls and screens, and it’s harming their health and wellbeing. Outdoor education is proven to make them happier, healthier, and more engaged. Other countries already do it - our children deserve the same. #ForestSchool 1/2

In Terenure for the unveiling of a plaque to Norah Hoult, followed by Inchicore for the official opening of the library.

Catherine Connolly has been a strong voice on behalf of Palestine, and nature. That's why I'll be voting for her for president.

I've written an article laying out my arguments for an extension of Ireland's Basic Income for the Arts. It crosses some of topics I've covered in other blogs, but I wanted to cover all these points in a single piece. oisinmcgann.com?p=5733&previ... #BasicIncomeForTheArts #UniversalBasicIncome

The Green Party is endorsing @catherinegalway.bsky.social in the Presidential Election. Catherine's powerful advocacy - on the genocide in Gaza, on resilient communities and on climate change - shows she gives voice to the issues of our time. I look forward to campaigning with her 🗳️

Today's "nitrogen from shit is not really nitrogen" chimes with the farm lobby push for "methane from cows is not really methane". After climate denial, we now have also chemistry denial.

The Green Party is backing Catherine Connolly in this Presidential Election. Catherine’s advocacy on climate and for the most vulnerable in our society reflects the values that should guide the Presidency. This decision follows consultation with members, elected representatives and spokespersons.

There are road crossings at schools in Chapelizod, where traffic wardens have been requested. The requests were refused, because the crossings were too dangerous for wardens. How can a road be too dangerous for wardens, but safe enough for children?

The Healy-Raes claim to be both inside and outside government, so backing two candidates is child's play.

This is so tragic - a third cyclist killed in just one week. My heart goes out to all the families. I've basically stopped cycling, one of my favourite things to do, because the roads are literally lethal.

Two incidents from the last couple of days... I was in Cherry Orchard yesterday, where the community had engaged architects to draw up plans for a new village centre. One of the first questions was about how much parking would be provided...

Councillors had to fight to secure a pitch for Marrowbone Lane in Dublin 8. We used our zoning powers to do it: I'm really glad that things are moving forward now, but want to be clear: we won't be rezoning the site until we're happy that a suitable pitch is being delivered.

Jaw-dropping stuff👇😑 www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

A hotel bed tax is a small charge that can make a big difference to a city. That's why two thirds of EU countries allow councils to have one. Just a tiny 1% charge would raise €12m a year for Dublin City - enough to hire 250 street cleaners. www.thejournal.ie/dublin-count...

Privatised public services fail our communities. Public money lines shareholders’ pockets, services suffer, & staff are left behind. Green councillors Barry McKee & Lauren Kendall are leading the fight back demanding leisure services are brought back in-house, run for people, not for private profit.

This freshers week do you really want to sign up to increased student fees from Fianna Fáil? Tell Minister James Lawless students are done being the first target whenever things get rocky! #Politics #Ireland #StudentFees #Climate #SocialJustice

Do we need to move responsibility to the Dept. of Transport? School buses give families more options in how they can organise their days, and they reduce traffic and our transport emissions too. But every year hundreds are left without a space. My Q to the Taoiseach today⬇️

Seeing these signs around Dublin is cool ... share any you see!

As we’re out on freshers stands this week we’re hearing first hand from students the stress they are facing over increased student fees, don’t worry though, James Lawless has a plan to save the day!

That'll teach him!

Trump calls climate change a hoax. Tell that to Lough Neagh. Hotter summers and heavier rains - both driven by climate breakdown - worsen the toxic algae blooms fed by pollution. While Trump sneers at science, our communities live with poisoned water and lost livelihoods. Planet or Trump. Pick one.

“Main cause is an overload of phosphorus & nitrogen from agriculture, including farm runoff, fertilisers & animal waste”. The price of our current model of industrial farming is the death of nature. Is that *really* a price worth paying? www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

An independent UN commission has concluded that Israel has committed and continues to commit genocide against Palestinians in Gaza