Dublin City Council are rumoured to be very close to banning glyphosate - the toxic chemical found in Monsanto's RoundUp weedkiller. If hundreds of us sign this petition, it might give them the push to finally stop using glyphosate.

200+ year old Oak tree: This Carbon monoxide guzzler is due to be cut down to build 17 houses. The whole road in clonsilla will be stripped of its natural habitat and Fingal Co.Co. say The Oak tree is not on the planning application, they have no knowledge of the Oak. > I'm looking for a little help to highlight the faith of the Tree and hopefully have it incorporated into the new housing estate. A share or comment on the post would help .... Thanks Graham. UPDATE ON THE OAK AT LOHUNDA The developers experts did a report on the Oak (not the council in short) and The Oak is said to be dangerous! Not worth saving. And a section 70 slapped on it. The entire hedgerow is to be removed as soon as possible. To me The OAK and it's surrounding natural habitat is bursting with life: CONSERVATION IS DEAD in Dublin 15. > If anyone has some knowledge of what can be done to prevent this destruction I would be grateful of the help.

These chemical based weedkillers are highly carcinogenic and linked to a variety of potentially fatal diseases. Monsanto's Roundup weedkiller, Pathclear, Gallup, Pistol, Weedol and Mossgo are to name but a few of the weedkillers currently on the market that contain the cancer causing chemical glyphosate which are lethal to all living organisms. Ireland has the second highest level of glyphosate in our surface water in the EU and the third highest death rate of cancer in Europe. To ensure a safer, cleaner living environment for our current and future generations we want a complete ban of glyphosate weedkiller. We are extremely concerned that our Agricultural sector/farmers are bombarded with misinformation and pressure from government bodies that are directly lobbied by toxic chemical companies. http://greennews.ie/why-is-ireland-diluting-legislation-on-banning-hormone-changing-chemicals/ https://www.euractiv.com/section/agriculture-food/news/france-tables-eu-wide-non-agricultural-pesticide-ban/

The diversion of motorway levels of traffic into our community will further congest our roads, increase levels of carbon emissions and noise and make our community less safe particularly for our schoolchildren and senior citizens.

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: Thanks to a swell of grassroots support, Brid Smith's Climate Emergency Bill passed the second stage in the Dáil in February 2018. The Bill, which calls for a ban on all new licences for offshore drilling, received support from all opposition parties. The Bill will come before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and the Environment on 3rd and 10th July, when environmental scientists and representatives of the energy industry will advise the Committee on the Bill. We call on all the Committee members to continue to support and strengthen the Climate Emergency Measures Bill, to help secure the futures of our people and our planet. 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 [1]. They expect to find 5 billion barrels of oil [2]. 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 [3]. 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 [4]. Oil and gas exploration is also deadly for Ireland’s unique dolphin, whale and porpoise population [5] and plankton, the basis of the marine ecosystem [6]. Yet, Minister Naughten has refused to confirm if drilling will stop if a threat to the population is found [7]. We call on Minister Naughten to retract the Providence Resources permit immediately. Furthermore, we call on the Minister to follow the lead of France [8] 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 [9]. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [1] http://www.independent.ie/business/world/providence-resources-commences-drilling-off-the-southwest-coast-of-ireland-35921724.html [2] http://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/amp/news/180745 [3] http://www.carbontracker.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Unburnable-Carbon-Full-rev2-1.pdf [4]http://priceofoil.org/2016/09/22/the-skys-limit-report/ [5] http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2014/02/140228-atlantic-seismic-whales-mammals/ [6] https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/23/15861932/offshore-drilling-airgun-seismic-surveys-zooplankton-death-oceans [7] https://www.kildarestreet.com/debates/?id=2017-02-07a.382 [8]http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/france-ban-new-oil-gas-exploration-stop-granting-licences-macron-hulot-renewable-energy-drive-a7806161.html [9] 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 (thomas.connell@galwaycity.ie); • Hugh Creegan - National Transport Authority Director of Transport Investment and Taxi Regulation, Deputy Chief Executive (hugh.creegan@nationaltransport.ie) ; • Cllr. John Walsh (cllrjohnwalsh@gmail.com )- Chairman, GCC Transport Strategic Policy Committee; • Cllr. Noel Larkin – Mayor (nlarkin@cllr.galwaycity.ie), 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.

A form of superbug which can be resistant to even the most powerful antibiotics has been detected at two adjacent beaches in Ireland. The reason is the discharge human waste into our coastal waters.