Shockingly, even Ireland has a secret fur trade - At present there are 5 licensed mink farms operating in the Republic of Ireland. One of these also had a small number of foxes. The media reported that a representative of the Irish Fur Breeders Association said that fox farming is being phased out due to economic reasons. In 2006, approximately 170,000 mink and 300 foxes were slaughtered in the Republic of Ireland for their fur pelts. Mink and foxes on fur farms are reared highly intensively in small cages before being killed at about 6 months old for their fur pelts. The pelts are exported for sale on the international fur markets, to be used by the fashion industry. At present, mink are farmed for their fur in the Republic of Ireland. There were also a small number of farmed foxes. The type of foxes reared on fur farms are silver foxes (which are a variety of the common red fox), and arctic foxes. Killing of both mink and foxes normally takes place on the farm, and there is no legal requirement for a veterinarian to be present. Mink are pulled out of their cages and put into a gassing box that holds around 50 to 70 animals. They are gassed to death in carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide. There are welfare concerns about batch killing of mink, and also about the types of gasses used. Farmed foxes are killed by electrocution. An electrode is placed in their anus and another in their mouth and they are killed by an electric current passing through them. Compassion-Ireland is totally opposed to the use of electrocution to kill animals. An undercover investigation by Compassion-Ireland and Respect for Animals in 2003 found that mink are kept in cages about 3 foot long and 1 foot wide, with a small nest box at one end. Fox cages have a floor area of about 4 foot by 4 foot and are about 28 inches high. Fox and mink cages are usually in rows inside buildings that have open sides. The animals’ droppings fall through the wire mesh floor of the cages. Farmed mink and foxes are fed on a porridge-like food made from chicken, meat and fish offal. This is placed on the top of each cage and the animals eat it through the wire mesh. Mink and foxes are confined in these cages throughout their lives until they are taken out to be killed. (How Mink and Foxes Should Live their life in the wild) - Mink in the wild always live near water and are good at swimming and diving. They even have small webbing between their toes. In the typical river environment, mink have a range of about 2 km along the river. Within their territories, mink often have several dens that they use to rest in and sleep in. Mink spend part of their time in water when hunting and part on the land, walking, bounding, rearing on their hind legs and climbing on rocks or trees. Mink are solitary animals and adults hunt alone. Silver foxes are a variety of the red fox. In the wild, they may travel great distances. The daily mean is 6 km. They can run fast, jump well and swim strongly. They dig dens or use the dens of other animals. Foxes may be solitary or live in a group. Arctic foxes are adapted to live in the snowy environment in the Arctic regions of Eurasia, North America, Greenland and Iceland. They roam across vast home ranges of around 30 km2 and even migrate more than 100 km in a single season. Arctic foxes can travel very long distances, often 10 to 20 km in a day. They can run fast and swim strongly. They build dens on the banks of streams, on hills or in rock piles, and these may be used by successive generations for 300 years. Arctic foxes are solitary animals.

“I may be in the library but today TDs will hear my voice. #IRiseForClimate Jobs and Justice with students across Ireland.” We have 12 years to take action on climate change. This Wednesday TDs are gathering to listen to constituents concerns about the government's lack of climate action. Students’ voices need to be heard! Sign your name and we will print out a huge petition to show the TDs how many of us demand action. As students, most of us can’t attend because it’s exam season. We are studying hard for exams so we can get a job that might not exist in a world that will be very different from the one today. There are no jobs on a dead planet. We RISE for Action on Climate Change. We RISE for Jobs on a living planet. We RISE for justice for all.

A planning application has been submitted to Donegal County Council, seeks “retention planning permission for filling of lands” at Crislaghmore, in Fahan. The application also seeks “retention planning permission for a machinery shed and planning permission to fill lands and all associated works.” Residents fear they will be adversely affected by the proposed development. The applicant in question has “made numerous applications for a ‘waste facility’, a ‘landfill site’, a ‘public dump’ and for ‘landfill’ for quarry material.” Each time residents have objected, the applicant has gone on to let things expire, then reapplied on a ‘retention’ basis or as a new application. The re-application is placed in a local newspaper, which probably has limited readership in the whole of the surrounding district. The applicant also posts applications at least 15 to 20 feet from the road so they cannot, not only be read but are impossible to see. Residents feel as if the applicant is trying to ‘slip one by them’ each time. The applicant has erected a shed post expiry of the last application. The shed was not in the previous specification and was not even in the same place as previously applied for. However, the applicant has now applied for retention of the shed and for landfill to help ‘enhance’ the land upon which the shed stands. Residents are puzzled by the application for further building and landfill, when the applicant knew from the start that the area was not suitable for the shed. We also object to the landfill based on the fact that any material could be used, from household refuse to quarry, industrial and commercial refuse. The applicant is also parking HGV lorries on residents' land “in contravention to’ Donegal County Council enforcement letters. A second person is also parking lorries and keeping pallets of bricks on land in the area, also in contravention of a Donegal County Council enforcement notice. Residents see drains being laid, landfill being delivered and other groundworks taking place, day and night. These people think they are ‘untouchable’ by Donegal County Council. Residents are particularly upset by the fact that the applicant has widened part of a little country road. This used to be a quiet residential area but we now have HGV and other large machinery and equipment passing up and down the road, on an almost constant basis. This is a single lane track, you wouldn’t even call it a road, which is not suitable for such machinery and the dust and noise is unbearable. In addition, the widening of the road has been entirely for the applicant’s benefit and not the community’s. They effectively built a turning circle for their trucks. It is unsightly and detracts from what was once a lovely country lane. The community in Fahan is worried about the effect the fumes from the lorries is having on the health of children in the area. Residents are also worried about the run off from this landfill, which will significantly interfere with the indigenous flora and fauna. This run off will eventually reach Lough Swilly. There is a bird and wildfowl reserve on the banks Lough and the environmental impact would be huge. We also have mussels growing in the Lough, which are exported worldwide and the run off could also contaminate this lucrative local produce. In recent times, the water supply has been interrupted, whilst work was ongoing on this site. And, subsequently, it has been cloudy and unfit to drink on occasion, Donegal County Council is pursuing an “active enforcement case” against the applicant seeking retention planning permission for “filling of lands” in Fahan. An Enforcement Notice is a legal document that requires certain action be taken to remedy a breach of planning control. They are issued where a development has taken place without the correct planning permission or outside the conditions of a planning permission. It is an outrage that this slow but steady activity is continuing unabated and his refusal to comply with planning authorities is all but ignored by council. This beautiful, scenic, quiet, country area MUST be saved.

We are a country with a proud culture, and are becoming globally recognised as a liberal and tolerant society, we have institutions that defend animal rights and prosecute people for animal neglect and cruelty, yet we still tolerate a barbaric and foreign "tradition" to continue, one which is based entirely in the satisfaction of blood lust and savagery. One which it's parent country has taken steps to ban

Every year in Ireland 200,000 mink are caged, mistreated, gassed and skinned to service the fashion industry. Please sign this petition to show your support for the Solidarity Bill to ban this cruel and unnecessary practice. The Prohibition of Fur Farming Bill 2018 was introduced to the Dail on October 2nd 2018 by Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger. Sadly the Minister failed to attend the presentation. Mink are solitary, undomesticated animals terrified of humans (for good reason). They are semi aquatic and certainly do not choose to live their short lives in wire cages. Please sign our petition to show the minister that the people of Ireland are compassionate and do not support this unnecessary cruelty. Image (c) Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals

25 orangutans die everyday due to palm oil production. Palm oil cultivation is responsible for 10% of the world's CO2 emission, habitat destruction for some of the world's critically endangered species and water pollution on some of the world's poorest countries. It has also resulted in land grand and exploitation of some of the world's poorest and most vulnerable communities.

The palm oil industry is linked to major issues such as deforestation, habitat degradation, climate change, animal cruelty and indigenous rights abuses in the countries where it is produced, as the land and forests must be cleared for the development of the oil palm plantations.

We have lost 60% of Wildlife and biodiversity in the World since the 1970's. We are destroying wildlife habitat and replacing it for Palm Oil Plantations, to produce 'cheap' vegetable oil. Most products don't even need the ingredient as they had the same product before using palm oil. Do You know what Palm Oil is? Did you know that Palm oil is in most biscuits, cakes, crisps, chocolate bars, snacks, sweets, ice cream, crackers? It's in soap, shampoo, makeup and cleaning products? It's in drinks and health products too? It is the most consumed vegetable oil in the world and you probably don't even realise you're eating it!! Did you know that 60% of Wildlife has been removed since the 1970's? Palm oil doesn't need to be in any products we buy. It is there because its cheap and the industry wants to sell more and more of it. 180,000 Orangutans have disappeared in the last 100 years, due to hunting, capturing and now in the past 20 years the Palm Oil Industry. This Petition is a cry for help, It is to ask everyone and anyone to STOP buying palm oil products. Please take the time and JUST read the ingredients to see if what you are buying is apart of this massive environmental crisis. Stop buying products with Palm oil which support destruction. If you like your chocolate bars, just buy one that is organic and without palm oil and enjoy it more. We need to make a collective change in how we shop, buy and support the whole environment. We also need to start realizing that we have the power to make the change. Not allowing governments and corporations to make decisions for us, empowers us to make the right choices and in turn, the corporations and governments will have to follow US !! We have a massive opportunity to come together and fight for something that is bigger than ourselves. We all need the environment to support us. We need to start working with holistic systems, design, and management that carries good ethics, values, and morals with them. Please sign this petition but most importantly STOP BUYING Palm Oil Products, period. NO MORE. let's act together with our hearts, our heads and our consumer choice.

The top nine reasons why this is important is 1) We do not want to lose the SDCC depot as this will severely erode the ability to maintain the high standards within the park thereby threatening our Green Flag status 2) We will lose the precious and unique urban farm that delights children 3) We will lose the socially inclusive community garden 4) We will lose the St John of God garden that provides horticultural therapy for people with various disabilities 5) The highly invasive Giant Knotweed is present on the site. The proposal to move it is dangerous and reckless as Whitestown Stream runs parallel to the proposed building site 6) We will lose the last remains of a 200 year old bridge that should be a protected structure 7) Every inch of Sean Walsh Park is an Objective OS zoned area i.e.to preserve and provide for open space and recreational amenities (as set out in the SDCC Development Plan 2016-2022) 8) Putting old peoples homes beside Tallaght Stadium which hosts matches regularly and will host concerts represents extremely poor planning 9) There is at least one more appropriate site available in Tallaght for the proposed Cluid development that would not not cause any of the foregoing problems and issues. *If you wish to support our offline please email [email protected] with your name and address* See why Sean Walsh Park should be preserved from property development: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MpP7Osf3YYo

We want an investigation to be implemented into the mass stranding of at least 16 offshore deep diving cetaceans, beaked whales which occurred from August 3rd to August 25th 2018, along the north-west coast of Ireland from Co. Mayo, Donegal and Co. Antrim. Simultaneously, 13 beaked whales stranded off the Scottish coasts and 2 more were reported stranded in Iceland. These are minimum estimates of mortality as they do not account for animals which may have sunk to the seabed or animals stranded in remote places and remain unreported. Previous studies on cetacean carcass drift have suggested that strandings represent a minimum of at sea mortality; depending on drift conditions carcasses may not always wash ashore, thus, the actual number of dead animals may be much higher (Peltier et al., 2014). Other mass stranding events of beaked whales around the world indicate beaked whales are susceptible to death or injury directly (temporary/permanent hearing damage) or indirectly (gas embolism, ( also known as the 'bends' ) due to extremely loud man-made oceanographic noise such as that produced by low and mid frequency naval sonar and certain types of acoustic survey used to examine the sea floor and below. Mass strandings of beaked whales associated with naval exercises have been recorded in Greece, the Canaries and the Bahamas. With no certain cause of these beaked whale mortalities on Irish shores having yet been established, this needs to be recognised as an unusual mass stranding event (UME) in an effort to identify the potential cause(s) and perhaps prevent future stranding events. Beaked whales are among the most diverse yet least understood groups of marine mammals.owing to their deep-water oceanic existence and typically inconspicuous surface behavior. Feeding in depths often exceeding 1000 m, most species are rarely seen; some have never been identified alive at sea and are known only from beach-stranded carcasses. According to the IUCN Red List, approximately 40% of marine mammal species are considered Data Deficient, whereas for the Ziphiidae, 90% are Data Deficient. Population trends for all beaked whale species are listed as unknown on the IUCN Red List. Ziphius and Mesoplodon are the two beaked whale genera known to suffer impacts from naval sonar activities. They exhibit strong behavioral responses to certain types of active sonar, resulting in altered movements and space use for prolonged periods after exposure (e.g., several days). In more extreme cases there can be physiological consequences leading to death or stranding. Mass strandings of beaked whales throughout the Northern Hemisphere have been associated with offshore military activity (Moore & Barlow, 2013). It is important that we aim to mitigate these stranding events and reduce human impacts on beaked whales in Irish waters. Thank you for taking the time to address our concern, Kind Regards, Emer Keaveney, Executive Director, ORCA Ireland.

Both Gemma O'Doherty (award winning journalist) https://gemmaodoherty.com/ and respected financial whistleblower Johnathon Sugarman http://whistleblowerirl.blogspot.com/ have un blemished track records in uncovering political and financial corruption for the public good in Ireland. Notably issues that are totally relevent, newsworthy, affect peoples lives and need to be known by the Irish public. For instance Gemma O'Doherty was the first to uncover the penalty points scandal and has yet to be interviewed or allowed to comment on this issue! Johnathon Sugarman who is a financial whistleblower with indepth knowledge about the financial and banking corruption that is rife including the recent Drumm judgement. Why have they not been asked to comment? Is this a form of media censorship? Many People believe that for any other reason than balance alone they should be given a voice on mainstream media otherwise this is a form of Censorship in Ireland.

The plant can not sustain our use of plastic. Plastic is a by product of fossil fuel which is not renewable. Our oceans are polluted by millions of tons of plastic which are nit recycled properly. With bin charges goin up on the general public more and more plastic waste is finding its way to landfill and the seas. In order for our planet to survive we must return to the use of glass bottles..