The former heritage centre closed approximately a decade ago. Since then the building in front of the Royal Hotel on Bray Main Street has been occupied by small retailers and other businesses with a lot of the former archives and artefacts belonging to the old heritage still left behind in the building. The historical archives and artefacts stored in the former Bray heritage centre/Bray design centre are being neglected. Many items are left abandoned in the building with previous attempts to archive them, document them, preserve them forgotten. This is appalling. It is neglectful and disrespectful. It is effectively abandoning the valuable heritage of our town. Having previously contacted Bray Municipal District Council and Wicklow County Council Heritage Officer to highlight this issue I was sent an unsatisfactory response that when resources become available that the items will be documented.

Petition Update December 2020: In mid-December, we are going to deliver this petition and letters signed by both civil society groups from across the globe and members of the Houses of the Oireachtas urging Minister Eamon Ryan to support the granting of a money message from the Government so the Climate Emergency Bill can progress to committee stage as soon as possible. Petition Update September 2020: Not Here Not Anywhere has been campaigning to ban offshore drilling since 2017, and in that time we have seen progress and changes in government policy. In the 2020 Programme for Government agreed by Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, and Greens stated the following on oil and gas drilling "End the issue of new licenses for the exploration and extraction of gas, on the same basis as the recent decision concerning oil exploration and extraction" [1]. Now that Eamon Ryan is the Minister for Climate Action, he has the power to legislate and ban offshore oil and gas drilling outright. Recently, we submitted a Parliamentary question to find out when the legislation when going to be enacted. We got the below response from Minister Ryan "While there is no requirement for legislative underpinning, I and my Department will evaluate whether any further actions would be useful in terms of providing maximum clarity." [2]. We disagree with the Minister’s assessment, if the current government falls with no legislation passed it could lead to future licenses been issued under a new administration. Also, if legislation was passed it would be a major victory for the climate movement both in Ireland and globally and we would be joining other countries around the world which have shown this climate leadership [3]. We need to shed our climate laggard status, legislate to ban offshore oil and gas drilling, and KEEP IT IN THE GROUND. Original petition: On 11th July, just one week after onshore fracking was banned in Ireland, Minister of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Denis Naughten, granted consent to oil & gas drilling by Providence Resources PLC in the Porcupine Basin off our south-west coast [4]. They expect to find 5 billion barrels of oil [5]. In an Orwellian twist, a “Department of Climate Action” has allowed for the burning of 5 billion barrels of oil when international climate experts state that 80% of the known fossil fuels have to stay in the ground if we want to avoid going over the safe 2 degrees limit of global warming [6]. Any investment in fossil fuel industry and infrastructure will result in what is known as “carbon lock-in”, taking us on a one-way unstoppable trip to dangerous levels of global warming that threaten global health and eco-systems [7]. Oil and gas exploration is also deadly for Ireland’s unique dolphin, whale and porpoise population [8] and plankton, the basis of the marine ecosystem [9]. Yet, Minister Naughten has refused to confirm if drilling will stop if a threat to the population is found [10]. We call on Minister Naughten to retract the Providence Resources permit immediately. Furthermore, we call on the Minister to follow the lead of France [11] and ban all new oil and gas exploration in Irish waters. We need to halt all dead investments in the fossil fuel industry and prepare a just transition to an economy that can provide workers with real, sustainable long-term jobs that can provide for their families and their future [12]. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [1]https://www.greenparty.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2020-06-15-ProgrammeforGovernment_Corrected-Final-Version.pdf [2]https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2020-09-15/162/#pq_162 [3]https://www.looptt.com/content/new-zealand-next-list-ban-offshore-drilling [4] http://www.independent.ie/business/world/providence-resources-commences-drilling-off-the-southwest-coast-of-ireland-35921724.html [5] http://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/amp/news/180745 [6] http://www.carbontracker.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Unburnable-Carbon-Full-rev2-1.pdf [7]http://priceofoil.org/2016/09/22/the-skys-limit-report/ [8] http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2014/02/140228-atlantic-seismic-whales-mammals/ [9] https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/23/15861932/offshore-drilling-airgun-seismic-surveys-zooplankton-death-oceans [10] https://www.kildarestreet.com/debates/?id=2017-02-07a.382 [11]http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/france-ban-new-oil-gas-exploration-stop-granting-licences-macron-hulot-renewable-energy-drive-a7806161.html [12] http://www.impact.ie/climate-change-workers-communities-must-protected-just-transition-carbon-free-economy-says-impact/

Pay-by-weight bin charges are being introduced across Dublin, and will become mandatory in September. Since the bins were privatised, we’ve had waivers for those on low incomes removed, fees hiked up, and service quality deteriorate. Pay-by-weight will lead to even higher charges for all of us. Pay-by-weight has nothing to do with protecting the environment. The biggest ‘polluters’ are not us, ordinary households, but the mega-companies that profit off selling products with far too much packaging. In fact, Irish households are good recyclers already. We have the second lowest household waste generation in the EU-15. Between 2008 and 2014, household waste generation fell by 12%, while across the EU it fell by only 6%. Nothing except a publicly-owned waste collection service will work. With public control, decisions regarding pick-ups, recycling and charges become democratically accountable. Without this, we will always be chasing rogue employers with poor working conditions - even with a regulator. The cost to the state of providing a decent bin public service would be in the region of €375 million. This is more than affordable. But in fact, it doesn't have to cost us that. Waste management is a profitable industry. The state could take over the profitable recycling activities that, currently, private companies make an awful lot of money from. In countries like Sweden, this already happens. Like with the water charges, we need to make it clear to our government that we want decent public services, paid for through fair taxation – not outrageous charges to private companies.

Inadequate advertising took place for the issue of this licence. No public consultation meetings were held to inform the residents of Bantry Bay of this proposed mechanical harvest by a company from Tralee. No regard is being shown to the pristine marine environment in Bantry Bay which is home to many species protected by Irish, European and International legislation i.e. White Tailed Eagles, Otters, Choughs to name but a few. An Environmental Impact Assessment is not required for this licence! An extensive Environmental Impact Assessment should be done before any mechanical harvesting of native kelp is allowed in any Irish coastal waters. No regard has been shown for the people who rely on tourism and marine activities such as fishing in the bay to make a living. The Kelp forest slows the wave action approaching the land, so removal of this kelp forest may lead to more coastal erosion along the Bantry Bay coast.

In 2014 Sara Morris, spokeswoman for the National Transport Authority, advised of the allocation of €50,000 for the provision of additional bike parking to Galway City Council. Three years later, on the first day of National Bike Week 2017, Galway City is still massively lacking in the provision of bicycle parking with no evidence of where that money was spent. To date, there are still less than 200 bicycle parking stands in Galway City. With a population of just under 80,000 people this is clearly an inadequate number of bicycle parking spaces for Ireland’s forth biggest city. Bicycle parking is an issue that affects all members of our community here in Galway; from blocking pedestrian and disability access on our streets and footpaths to contributing to an increased number of cars on our roads. The lack of bicycle parking is a something that is driving commuters into their cars unnecessarily. Congestion in the city centre is at an all time high with Galwegians spending more time sitting in traffic than drivers than any other city in Ireland. An increased reliance on cars for transportation is not only adding to the levels of pollution in the city but is also negatively impacting the health, safety and wellbeing of our citizens. Galway City Council themselves acknowledge, through their Park’n’Stride Campaign, that an increased reliance on bicycles as a form of transport would not only alleviate traffic congestion but would also improve the physical and mental health of the population by incorporating exercise into everyday activities such as commuting. On this year, 2017, that Galway holds the European Green Leaf designation and in the lead up to Galway 2020 when Galway will see an increase in tourism, An Mheitheal Rothar is calling on the above mentioned individuals to not just make a commitment, but to immediately take action to increase in bicycle parking for the city and the appointment of an new Cycling Officer within Galway City Council. If you would like to support this campaign please sign the petition and follow us on social media for more information. You can also share the petition using #bikeparkinggalway We would also encourage you to express your concerns to: • Thomas Connell - Galway City Council Director of Services for Transportation, Recreation and Amenity, Corporate Services ([email protected]); • Hugh Creegan - National Transport Authority Director of Transport Investment and Taxi Regulation, Deputy Chief Executive ([email protected]) ; • Cllr. John Walsh ([email protected] )- Chairman, GCC Transport Strategic Policy Committee; • Cllr. Noel Larkin – Mayor ([email protected]), GCC Transport Strategic Policy Committee. As part of Bike Week 2017, An Mheitheal Rothar also took to the streets to speak with some of Galway's cycling community about their thoughts on cycling in the city. Watch our video here: https://youtu.be/sBxkyiRxYv8

Returned containers are then reused or recycled. A bit like the plastic bag levy, this system is proven to be very effective, recovering up to 95% of containers. Imagine the difference that would make to our coasts, countryside, towns & cities! Germany, Denmark, Netherlands have had successful deposit refund systems in place for years. The UK have just announced they are introducing a deposit scheme. Ireland is drowning in litter and we KNOW deposit refund systems work - with recovery rates of up to 95%. Luckily for us many other countries are already doing this, we won't need to reinvent the wheel, we just need to start taking some positive action!

Bernie is giving a speech on June 4th which sold out after 1 minute. There are thousands of people who are willing to pay to hear him speak, to hear a voice for the people. Someone who stands up for the environment, all people and the planet as a whole. My hope is that hearing Bernie speak could spark the revolution that is needed in Ireland so we can transform our country and go back to the values it was founded on.

Diesel Cars emit soot and NOx toxic fumes and are polluting our clean air and are bad for peoples' health. 70% of new cars purchased in Ireland are diesel - insane - due to the crazy Motor Tax Law that penalises older pre-2008 petrol cars but promotes purchase of new diesel cars. Paris to ban diesel cars from July 2017 ... many other cities to follow. Irish Motor Tax Law is regressive, 2-Tier and bad for your health. This Irish law puts high tax on pre-2008 cars and low tax on those who can afford new cars. It is socially divisive and totally unacceptable.

The CEO of An Post has said he will close over 250 post offices in sparsely populated areas, this year. This is totally unacceptable, it cannot be justified that because an area is sparsely populated, a post office is not necessary. It is more important than ever,as rural post offices are an essential part of the community, providing many services other than just to post letters. Among these are pensions, banking, phone top-up, paying bills, to name but a few. This is totally unacceptable. I live in Carrigaholt on the Loop Head Peninsula where our main industry is tourism. It is an area of approximately 1200 sq km, and unfortunately we fit the criteria. Our post office is already the only remaining one out of an original 5. People are already travelling over 15km to use it's services, and to expect them to journey even further is disgusting. I understand that An Post has to make money, but closing post offices and putting up postage is not the way. Install broadband in the post office, even more services can be accessed, more people will use the post office. If the paperwork is made redundant by the post office being "on-line" that alone will generate enough income to run the rural business. Carrigaholt Post Office is the heart of our village. It offers local and tourist information as well as the expected services, it is a meeting place where many go to socialise, it is so much more than is expected by An Post, but not by a rural community. The only time some people go out is to collect the pension and those that have to rely on others to get them there will be unable to collect it, or carry out other transactions if the nearest post office is even further away. It is no good telling us we can have our pensions paid into the bank as we have no permanent bank to do so, this also means travelling. Local businesses use the post office every day for things like coinage and fliers. They would be affected greatly by it's closure. To take away our post office would be to take the heart from our community. It would kill it! Whenever a business has to make "financial cuts", it's always the rural areas that are looked at first, not larger urban ones. This is because financially, country areas have very little to offer large corporate organisations. It matters nothing to these people that we are left with very little, or that to use the post office will involve over an hour's time to do the minimum business. What we do have though is our pride and affection for our local post office, and so now is the time to let the country know that we won't accept the closures!!

Bottled water is an invented consumer need.Thirty years ago the Irish public laughed at the idea of being sold a product that you could get from the tap for next to no cost. Today we feel as though bottled water is just a normal, or even essential, item to be included in our shopping baskets. In 2016, Irish consumers spent around €76.5 million on bottled water. We are sending about 800 million plastic bottles to be processed every year and are spending about €38 million annually on disposing of plastic bottles alone. This money could be used for investment in public drinking fountains, or for improving our public water infrastructure. By choosing to not consume bottled water, you will not only reduce the environmental impacts of plastics, but you will also eliminate a senseless daily expense. Plastic bottles pollute our oceans. About 80 percent of plastics found in our oceans come from land-based sources. In 2016, the United Nations World Oceans Assessment reported that as plastics entre the oceans they breakdown into microplastics. Plastics ingested by animals, such as fish, seabirds and marine mammals, can harm the intestines, and results in infection or death. Plastics also leach an assortment of dangerous chemicals into the water, and also act as a carrier for invasive species which can contaminate remote areas of the globe. The production and distribution of bottled water is a waste of resources. Research carried out by the Pacific Institute on the "energy implications of bottled water" in the United States worked out that bottled water is estimated to cost 2,000 times more than tap water to produce. The bottled water industry in the United States required an energy input equivalent to 54 million barrels of oil and roughly three times this amount is required to satisfy global bottled water demand. This adds around 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide to our atmosphere every year. The high energy cost of bottling water is not the only way in which this industry is needlessly wasteful. One litre of bottled water takes three litres of water to be produced. Fresh safe drinking water is a valuable, and over exploited resource that every living organism on this planet depends upon. It is not an overstatement to argue that the continued use of single-use plastic water bottles should be considered nonsensical, wasteful and extraordinarily expensive. By eliminating bottled water from your shopping bag you are helping us move towards meeting four Sustainable Development Goals. Often the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are thought of as only being relevant for protecting the most vulnerable ecosystems, and supporting the most disempowered communities, on our planet. People often forget that to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, social, economic and environmental problems that are endemic within western consumer-lead countries must be considered as integral to the project. Our seemingly inconsequential habits have direct effects on the health of the planet, and the livelihoods of some of the world's most vulnerable communities in the world. We need to become aware of the consequences of our actions, but we also need to be responsive, and take brave steps towards a truly sustainable future. Let's reduce our use of plastic bottles in Ireland, and all place pressure on the Irish government to stop selling, or providing, bottled water in public institutions. Don't Bottle It! Be Brave we can make this change.

We finally have the government’s long overdue draft plan for how it will reduce climate pollution. We need this plan to be transformational. It’s far from it. But it can be. We have a lot to be proud of in terms of how people power is moving Ireland onto a more progressive path towards climate action. Ireland now has national Climate Legislation and we may become the first state to divest from fossil fuels and join the growing list of progressive nations to ban fracking. Hugely positive steps forward. But we are taking many steps backwards with the publication of the government’s draft plan for how they will cut our climate pollution by 80% by 2050. A transformational plan is what we need. It’s far from it unfortunately! The impacts of climate change today are already being felt today in Ireland, and across the world. Tell Minister Naughten to build on the really positive momentum we have created and give us a plan to reduce climate pollution that we can be proud of.

URGENT: A family are to be evicted from their home on Ferrycarrig halting site tomorrow Monday the 20th of March if we don't convince Wexford County Council to withdraw their complaint from An Gardaí. The family have small children and the council have failed to provide suitable alternative accommodation. But, if enough of us sign the petition and send it to Wexford County Council before tomorrow - we could make them change their mind and withdraw their complaint.