Good morning from the #Cuckoo

Given what BNM are doing to bogs to facilitate wind John, an immediate halt should be placed on all plans. When red listed species are directly impacted to facilitate wind, then as a Country, we have a serious problem with biodiversity loss being ignored. Reality of the "hidden heartlands".

Beautiful evening and all topped off by the call of the #Cuckoo.

www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Yet the exact opposite happens on critically important bogs on the Shannon, of all places. When will @news.rte.ie highlight the reality of actions by BNM on bogs here?

Happy Saint Patrick's Day ☘️

Disgraceful from Darragh O'Brien over on X and a clear example of ignoring & avoiding communication with local communities. For a Minister to publicly display support for projects that are knowingly impacting on critically important ecosystems and biodiversity overall, is extremely worrying.

The Minister knows only too well about the importance of biodiversity on bogs here and what's happening to them but has chosen to let the carnage continue. Ecosystem & environmental degradation of over 5,000 acres of bogs seemingly doesn't matter.

Start here and begin making a difference.

Minister O’Sullivan publishes National Biodiversity Action Plan progress report

Lacking yet again. www.gov.ie/en/departmen...

Following heavy rains this week, farmers downstream of the bogs are paying the price. Pumping of water off bogs continues and modified drainage having taken place to facilitate, with underground concrete pipes removed and a new open channel created feeding into this river.

When the elements that continue to contribute to climate disruption are consistently ignored by those who have the power to make the difference to begin the repair process, then you may as well be trying to apply a bandaid to a catastrophic wound that'll never close to heal.

An Taisce stands with fellow members of Environmental Pillar and eNGOs across the EU to say Hands Off Nature.

Have your voice heard.

Let’s defend the laws that protect our future #HandsOFFNature

Send a message and sign petition:
www.environmentalpillar.ie/hands-off-na...

@envpillar.bsky.social

I'm totally pinching myself announcing this, but a film about my life journey rewilding a West Cork farm, An Irish Atlantic Rainforest, will get its first screening at the Dublin International Film Festival on Saturday the 28th of this month.

Tickets are available here:
www.diff.ie/programme/an...

You had no issues with wetlands being pumped when raised with you previously Ciaran, resulting in habitat losses of nesting red listed species of conservation. You seemingly didn't appreciate wetlands then.

One very simple step, at least here anyway, stop pumping out bogs resulting in flooding downstream lands. Leave the bogs to nature and implement natural, not forced, outfalls off the bogs.

GHG emissions from dewatering bogs to facilitate wind energy does not feature in this report. Such throws the credibility of the whole report into question.

⚖️ DEADLINE TOMORROW ⚖️

Submissions on this are due tomorrow. Please do take a few minutes to make a submission, it sounds like a dry topic, but the negative consequences for the Irish environment could be profound.

We need as many people as possible to push back on this.

Done!

Have your say by January 15 deadline.

In all our time in An Taisce, this is one of the biggest threats to environmental protection that we have ever faced. These proposed changes are clearly unlawful, undemocratic & unfair.

For more: www.antaisce.org/news/all-han...

#environmentaljustice

Ban on data centres in Dublin to be lifted Data centres will only get planning permission if they include details of how they will generate their own renewable energy.

@fiannafailparty.bsky.social & FG, have signed the death knell of biodiversity on bogs. Renewable energy generation for data centres is the plan all along for wind farms on bogs with the joint BNM/AWS partnership the prime example.

www.newstalk.com/news/data-ce...

As long as Minister @darraghobrientd.bsky.social continues to ignore communities highlighting where change needs to happen to deliver on Ireland's targets, the longer Ireland will continue to kick the can down the road.

Start engaging with communities Minister.

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy new year. All the very best for 2026!

Wishing you and yours a happy and peaceful Christmas. 🎅 🎄

ACP has confirmed this morning they are unable to make a determination on BNM’s substitute consent at this time, but have fallen short of providing a new decision date, stating it requires further consideration.

We have written to them again requesting such a date.

We will update as we know more.

Wintering Whoopers continue to be displaced from bogs here by BNM as they carry out coring & excavation works for the proposed Derryadd WF. ACP & epa have passed the book. Longford CoCo and NPWS yet to respond.

If only they were as proactive, in a positive manner, on all bogs Jamie.

Whoopers return to a section of bog this morning which they were displaced from yesterday by BNM as they carry out exploratory excavation works for the proposed Derryadd WF on the bogs.Such has been taking place for days now & admitted to by BNM. @birdwatchireland.bsky.social @antaisce.bsky.social

Poor conditions this morning, but after recent rains the Whooper numbers are increasing with over 100 on this bog section now.
Pumping continues, & we've submitted important evidence to ACP this week of activities taking place on these bogs unsettling Whoopers during a live case.
#biodiversity

Quick update on all things here.
Whoopers have returned after the chronic rains here as of late. Pumps in full pumping mode.
Substitute consent application decision with Pleanála deferred until December.
Wind Farm planning on the bogs decision, pushed out until April 10th.

He also continues to support the desecration of habitats by a semi-state on bogs relating to ground nesting red listed species of conservation. A fact that was brought to his attention. His nature Minister walked these bogs and is now also looking the other way. Disgraceful reality.