Essential Nature Restoration Law Survives EU Negotiations EU Trilogue Negotiations have concluded on the Nature Restoration Law. Although ambition has been weakened from the original vision for this law, it is now a step closer to becoming a reality and supporting Ireland’s efforts to save nature. The Irish Wildlife Trust has called for Member States, […]
PRESS RELEASE 25 October 2023 ENVIRONMENTAL NGOs REBUKES GOVERNMENT FOR SLOW PROGRESS ON KEY OCEAN PROTECTION LEGISLATION Fair Seas Coalition deliver 11,758 signature petition calling for urgent legislation A coalition of Ireland’s leading environmental NGOs has strongly criticised the government for failing to publish key legislation that would protect Irish seas and help tackle the […]
Press Release 10th October Wildart 2023 – Children’s Wildlife Art Competition open for Entries The Irish Wildlife Trust is excited to announce the launch of WildArt 2023, an engaging art competition that invites young artists to immerse themselves in the enchanting world of Irish woodlands during the autumn season. Under the theme “Autumn Woodland Wonders” […]
Press Release: EU Nature Restoration Law cannot restore marine ecosystems without addressing Fisheries Impacts 28th September 2023 After the Summer recess in the EU Parliament, final trilogue negotiations have begun on the Nature Restoration Law (NRL) and will determine how ambitious and effective this law will be. The negotiations will take place between the […]
PRESS RELEASE Irish Wildlife Trust welcomes new marine designations but warns that fisheries must be controlled if they are to be effective. 14th July 2023 The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) welcomes the latest announcement of a large new Special Protection Area (SPA) in the north-west Irish Sea. SPAs are designated under existing legislation for the protection of […]
Press Release 12th July 2023 Nature thrown a lifeline as motion to reject Nature Restoration Law is defeated The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) is delighted that MEPs today (12th July) voted to pass the Nature Restoration Law (NRL). This is a substantial step forward for the European Green Deal and while it could be more […]
Press Release 4th July 2023 Bad news for bogs as designated areas set to lose protections The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) is appalled that the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016 is set to be passed by the Oireachtas (it is scheduled to be presented to the Dáil tomorrow evening, July 5th). The Bill, if enacted, will […]
Three years in government Pádraic Fogarty 1st July 2023 The Government recently celebrated three years in office, how is it doing in meeting nature objectives? I wrote a blog after its first anniversary in 2021 and the same terms and conditions apply to the one you are about to read. A year is not a […]
Press Release 29th June 2023 European Court of Justice issues damning indictment of Ireland’s failure to protect nature The European Court of Justice today issued a damning finding against Ireland for its failure to implement the Habitats Directive. This ruling comes as no surprise to anyone following the deterioration of our natural environment and has […]
Press Release Irish MEPs must support a strong Nature Restoration Law at the European Parliament meeting in July 27th June 2023 Today, MEPs in the European Parliament committee for Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) concluded their voting on the Nature Restoration Law (NRL). The final vote was tied 44-44 […]
Press Release 20th June 2023 Irish Wildlife Trust welcomes Irish Government support for Nature Restoration The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) warmly welcomes the strong endorsement by the EU Council of Ministers today in Luxembourg for the Nature Restoration Law. This throws a lifeline to the initiative which has been subject to a negative campaign led by […]
Press Release 15th June 2023 A key vote in Strasbourg has kept hopes alive for the livelihoods of millions of workers and the wellbeing of the planet. Voting today on the draft Nature Restoration Law, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) committee voted down, with a […]
The Irish Wildlife Trust is calling on all political leaders in Ireland to ensure that their MEPs support the Nature Restoration Law in the European Parliament May 25th 2023 This week the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries (PECH) and Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI), both rejected the Nature Restoration Law (NRL). The vote to reject the NRL […]
Press Release 24th May 2023 Irish Wildlife Trust calls on the Government to send the Citizens’ Assembly report to an Oireachtas committee to fast-track action for nature The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) is today calling on the Government to ensure the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss are fast-tracked for action. A […]
Press Release 19th May 2023 Ireland and UK conservation groups unite to call on the Government to reintroduce the sturgeon – Ireland’s lost ‘dinosaur fish’ The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) and the Blue Marine Foundation in the UK have jointly published a report, ‘Restoring the Sturgeon to Irish Waters’ urging the Government to examine the […]
Press Release 05th April 2023 Citizens’ Assembly report on Biodiversity Loss a damning indictment of the State’s failure to protect nature The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) welcomes the publication today (April 5th 2023) of the final report and recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss. It confirms that the State has abjectly failed to […]
Irish Wildlife Trust receives Lord Mayor’s Award in recognition of their work 31st March 2023 The Irish Wildlife Trust is honoured to have received a Lord Mayor’s Award in recognition of our work to help make Dublin a better place to live. Lord Mayor of Dublin Caroline Conroy presented three individuals and three organisations […]
Press Release 21st March 2023 Irish Wildlife Trust celebrates rewilding at special event in Longford this weekend The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) will hold a special event entitled ‘Rewilling for People and Nature’ this Saturday March 25th at the Corlea Trackway Centre in Co. Longford to discuss rewilding and the enormous potential this has for […]
Press Release 15th March 2023 Irish Wildlife Trust calls for urgent action to ban trawling and dredging in inshore waters The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) has written to Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, and Minister for Biodiversity and Land Use, Pippa Hackett, urging them to act swiftly to protect inshore […]
Press Release 06th March 2023 State failing to stop destruction of “protected” bogs The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) is calling for greater law enforcement after new data, released after appeal to the Office of the Information Commissioner, revealed that illegal turf-cutting remains a significant problem in Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) designated for raised […]
Press Release 02nd March 2023 Hill burning season a symptom of political apathy in the face of our biodiversity emergency The depressing predictability of the fires which have engulfed West Cork and Kerry in recent days is a symptom of chronic apathy by government departments in the face of growing frustration in hill areas. Despite […]
Press Release 24th January 2023 Irish Wildlife Trust welcomes comments from Tánaiste that the State should buy land for rewilding The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) welcomes the comments from Tánaiste Micheál Martin, and which were reported in today’s Irish Independent newspaper (24/1/23), that the State “must purchase land for native woodlands and for simple rewilding at […]
Press Release 19th December 2022 Irish Wildlife Trust welcomes agreement at COP15 but warns there is an urgent need for implementation The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) welcomes the announcement this morning (December 19th) that the signatories to the Convention on Biological Diversity have concluded a new deal to reverse biodiversity loss and stabilise global ecosystems. […]
Press Release 15th December 2022 Ireland should aim to protect 30% of our land and sea as part of global efforts to reverse biodiversity loss at COP15 The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) is calling on the Irish government, represented at the COP15 meeting in Montreal, Canada by Minister for State Malcolm Noonan, to commit Ireland […]
Press Release: Irish Wildlife Trust welcomes moves to better protect the marine environment 14th December 2022 The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) warmly welcomes the announcement yesterday (December 13th) from Minister of State Malcolm Noonan that there will be new designations of Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) in the waters off Ireland as well as the […]
Press Release: Irish Wildlife Trust attends COP15, the most important event for biodiversity in over a decade 06th December 2022 The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) will be in Montreal, Canada from Wednesday (7/12) to attend the COP15 meeting, hailed as the biggest meeting for biodiversity in over a decade. COP15 is held under the […]
Press Release: Irish Wildlife Trust welcomes recommendations from the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss 28th November 2022 The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) warmly welcomes the recommendation from the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss that the constitution should be amended to better protect biodiversity. The IWT had asked in our submission that the rights of nature […]
PRESS RELEASE 17th November 2022 Irish Wildlife Trust welcomes Oireachtas committee recommendations to reverse biodiversity loss The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) welcomes the report from the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action on Biodiversity published today (17/11/22). The IWT gave a presentation to committee members during the hearings which took place in 2021. We […]
PRESS RELEASE 08th November 2022 Irish Wildlife Trust welcomes €1.3 billion funding for new forest programme but warns that money alone will not address problems The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) welcomes the additional funding for forestry schemes announced last week (3/11/22) by Minister for Land Use and Biodiversity, Pippa Hackett. The increased grant and premium […]
PRESS RELEASE 29th September 2022 Continuing failure by Ireland to protect peatlands highlighted by the European Commission The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) is welcoming today additional infringement proceedings by the European Commission against Ireland in order to enforce protections for peatlands. In 1992, by signing up to the EU’s Habitats Directive, Ireland agreed to protect some raised […]
