Environment – Page 22 – Slugger O'Toole

Green Party points to absence of EPA provision in budget

Pete Baker on January 29, 2008, 9:39 pm

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The Assembly’s sole Green Party MLA, Brian Wilson, focussed on environmental issues in his contribution to the debate on the budget [which can be viewed here for now], and he made a point of identifying the absence of any provision within the three-year budget for an independent Environmental Protection Agency [EPA]. Meanwhile, in a report published yesterday, the Independent Water Review Panel has recommended that just such an independent agency should be established.. and then there’s the official complaint to …

Environment minister issues ‘notice of opinion to refuse’ private Causeway development

Pete Baker on January 29, 2008, 3:39 pm

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As anticipated yesterday the Northern Ireland Executive’s Environment minister, the DUP’s Arlene Foster, has made a statement to the Assembly and announced that a notice of opinion to refuse the planning application by Seymour Sweeney for his private development of the Causeway Visitors Centre has been issued – despite being “of a mind to approve” it previously. No sign of of any other matters yet.. But all documentation relating to the decision are now to be released.. The discussion continues …

Ministerial mind to turn?

Pete Baker on January 28, 2008, 10:37 pm

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An interesting, and short, snippet from the end of Stormont Live today. According to the BBC’s political editor Mark Devenport “all the buzz”, as the Assembly’s Environment Committee waits on Section 44 being imposed by the Speaker, is that the Environment minister, the DUP’s Arlene Foster, will use a ministerial statement tomorrow to “row back” on her previous position of being “of a mind to approve” Seymour Sweeney’s private development of the Causeway Visitor’s Centre and instead approve a publicly …

“NI Water should continue to be a government-owned company at least for the next five years..”

Pete Baker on January 28, 2008, 7:05 pm

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The Northern Ireland Regional Development minister, Sinn Féin’s Conor Murphy, has welcomed the publication of the Strand 2 report from the Independent Water Review Panel – report available here [pdf file]. The Strand 1 report was noted here previously – and its recommendations, on water charges, were discussed here. Dealing with Management, Governance and Delivery, this report’s timing couldn’t be better.. Included in its recommendations is this one for the Environment minister to consider [added emphasis] An independent Environmental Protection …

“a duty to ‘assert, protect and keep open’ public rights of way..”

Pete Baker on January 27, 2008, 3:24 am

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Possibly the key comment on this story – as the other Causeway row rumbles on.. and the young-Earthers wait with bated breath – comes via the Ulster Federation of Rambling Clubs – “Moyle [District Council] has to act – legislation has to be revisited and amended but District Councils are not the place where access agreements should be negotiated – this must be a central government matter.” The access agreement concerned is just one which Nevin claims have been, and …

The nuclear-powered archipelago?

Pete Baker on January 25, 2008, 12:41 am

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UTV report that the Assembly’s Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee have agreed to examine the possibility of building a nuclear power station in Northern Ireland. Bring on the nuclear NIMBYs!From the UTV report Alan McFarland (UUP, North Down) admitted nuclear power was a controversial issue but said it was one that had to be examined. Mr McFarland added that renewable energy may not necessarily be the answer. A DETI inquiry in 2002 rejected nuclear power as a potential option in …

Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend

Pete Baker on January 24, 2008, 7:18 pm

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In 2007, over 400,000 people took part in the Big Garden Birdwatch and there will probably be even more this year. It’s in a good cause, and provides masses of raw data for analysis, and so I’m fully supportive of the Northern Ireland deputy First Minister, Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness, MP, MLA, endorsement of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds now-annual, and vital, snapshot of the UK’s birds each winter – after all, it’s open to everyone in …

“DSD Permanent Secretary did refer the matter to the Head of the Civil Service..”

Pete Baker on January 21, 2008, 3:55 pm

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In today’s Belfast Telegraph, David Gordon has a follow-up to his previous report about Ian Paisley Jnr’s lobbying from his Junior Ministerial office. The new report confirms the earlier details and adds – “The matter was referred to the Head of the Civil Service and was dealt with by him at the time.” A spokesperson for DSD has now stated: “The Department can confirm, in relation to the interactions between Mr Barrington and Mr Paisley Junior over the Ballee land …

How Green are our MLAs?

Mick Fealty on January 21, 2008, 2:42 am

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Genuinely interesting slot from the Politics Show which asked three MLAs to do a video diary for a week on their Green activities, which was subsequently viewed and critiqued by Newton Emerson and Lise Fegan of Friends of the Earth. The verdict? Three committed individuals, but given the cuts in the warm homes scheme by DUP Ministers, and (from Newt’s point of view at least) Sinn Fein’s hostility to the generation of nuclear energy in Ireland, there is little sense …

Further detail on those lands at Ballee…

Mick Fealty on January 16, 2008, 3:41 pm

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The following is an opinion piece written by Councillor Stephen Nicoll, which mulls over some of the intricate issues are the Ballee land, perhaps the most controversial item mentioned in the memo released Jim Allister by Freedom of Information request by the NIO. It’s particularly interesting since it was written the day before the release, without, so far as we can tell, any foreknowledge of the release of that document. It’s a useful foil to some of the feverish speculation …

Nuclear NIMBYism – redux

Pete Baker on January 10, 2008, 9:04 pm

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I’ve mentioned the hypocrisy of Nuclear NIMBYism in an archipelagic-wide energy grid previously [and it’s as alive and well as ever – Ed], so it’s good to see the Republic of Ireland’s Energy Minister, Eamon Ryan, calling for a reasoned debate on the issue, “so that the real science and the energy policy issues can be debated in detail”, at the same time that the UK government published a white paper on proposals to support the building of new nuclear …

Live from Newgrange..

Pete Baker on December 21, 2007, 4:43 pm

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If as the RTÉ report notes, along with a few others, you’re not one of the 20 selected to be present inside the Newgrange megalithic tomb for the winter solstice sunrise, you don’t have to miss out. Heritage Ireland is providing a web-cast of the scene live – there’s another chance to watch it here tomorrow. Although, since they don’t seem to be archiving it, you’ll still have to get the coffee on early.. 8.30am to 10.00am GMT.. and it …

“uninhibited by ideological pressure..”

Pete Baker on December 17, 2007, 4:38 pm

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In conversation with Mick yesterday I happened to mention the eagerness with which some had run with the Daily Mail’s take on the released text of Pope Benedict XVI’s New Year message on peace and the environment and, in particular, Bad Science’s Ben Goldacre’s response to the distortion of that text. So I have nothing but praise for Shane at Present Tense for posting his own corrective. Mind you, Benedict could have simply quoted Sir Francis Bacon on the Idols …

The public have spoken.. apparently..

Pete Baker on November 29, 2007, 5:23 pm

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Well the public had the choice of either the Dancing Tree, Phoenix Rising, or Spirit of Belfast.. and, according to the Social Development minister, the SDLP’s Margaret Ritchie, the voting was as follows – “The Spirit of Belfast design received 46.6% of the public vote while Dancing Tree received 28.8% and Phoenix Rising 24.6%.” So Spirit of Belfast it is for Arthur Square. You’ve only yourselves to blame.. Adds That’s 3000 members of the public have spoken.. apparently.. From the …

“I have always encouraged a timely solution..”

Pete Baker on November 28, 2007, 1:51 am

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Confirmation of the consequences of the ministerial ‘mind’, unintended or not, in this David Gordon report in the Belfast Telegraph of the meeting between Moyle Council, the National Trust and the Enterprise Minsiter, the DUP’s Nigel Dodds. Reading between the lines of the minister’s reported statement “I want to see this world heritage site maintained and I have always encouraged a timely solution which would deliver value for money for the taxpayer but which would also deliver the high standard …

“there are alternative views in relation to the age of the Giant’s Causeway..”

Pete Baker on November 27, 2007, 1:00 am

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Mark Devenport also spotted a mischievous question from the Alliance Party MLA Trevor Lunn to the Environment Minister, the DUP’s Arlene Foster [scroll down] – “Mr T Lunn asked the Minister of the Environment what is her assessment of the age of the Giant’s Causeway.” The problem is that her answer, an official written answer as the Minister for the Environment, a) doesn’t answer the question, and b) in doing so appears to give equal weight to those alternative views. …

Unintended consequences of ministerial mind

Pete Baker on November 22, 2007, 1:42 am

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I doubt that it was intended, but one consequence of the DUP ministers being “of a mind to approve” a private development of the Causeway Visitors’ Centre has been to end the years of dithering by the public bodies involved. Moyle Council are reported to be passing control over the site to the National Trust.. and, meanwhile, the Trust have been making noises off to the UK government. Let’s see if the DUP ministers are constrained by political dogma.. Pete …

“Land Registers NI is not responsible for any administrative irregularities..”

Pete Baker on November 20, 2007, 12:45 am

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Gonzo noted previously Ian Paisley Jnr’s statement that the failure to register a property at Seymour Sweeney’s Ballyallaght Farm Cottages development in his name was due to an “administrative hiccup at Land Registry.” In today’s Belfast Telegraph, David Gordon notes that in a written answer in the Assembly, the Finance Minister, the DUP’s Peter Robinson – whose department is responsible for Land Registers NI – stated “I can confirm that Land Registers NI is not responsible for any administrative irregularities …

Environment Minister to sue Sinn Féin MLA?

Pete Baker on November 20, 2007, 12:27 am

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The Northern Ireland Environment minister, the DUP’s Arlene Foster, did warn everyone, when she announced that she was “of a mind to approve” Seymour Sweeney’s planning application for a Causeway Visitors Centre, that “If anyone impugns my integrity in this matter I will be seeking legal advice and will act accordingly.” It would appear that she thinks Sinn Féin’s Daithí McKay, MLA, has done just that, and according to this report, the Assembly today heard the following exchange Daithí McKay: …

“The council is very pleased to have the fossil on loan from the Ulster Museum..”

Pete Baker on November 18, 2007, 9:56 pm

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With the Ulster Museum closed for its controversial renovation until, at least, June 2009, it makes sense for as many of its exhibits to be put on public display in the meantime – although this example is the only one I’ve seen reported. It’s a 200 million-year-old ichthyosaur fossil found near Larne in 1999 and it will be on display at the Larne Tourist Information Centre for the next two years – much more on ichthyosaurs here.. and here. That …