Category Archives for "Press Releases"

Press Release 20th March 2025 The Irish Wildlife Trust is calling for the Irish Government to submit their overdue national roadmap for phasing out destructive fishing in Marine Protected Areas.    A new study released today by Seas at Risk, Oceana and ClientEarth, environmental NGOs working on marine conservation issues, shows that, despite EU nature […]

  Press release  Date: 23rd January 2025 Irish Wildlife Trust calls on an Taoiseach, Michaél Martin, to show leadership for nature and treat the climate and biodiversity crises as the emergencies they are.   The Irish Wildlife Trust looks forward to engaging with new Government Ministers on environmental issues and calls for the reinstatement of […]

Talks at COP16 in Colombia suspended without decision on financing Press Release 02nd Novmeber 2024   After an intense 2 weeks of negotiations at COP16,  talks have been suspended at the final hurdle around the topic of resource mobilisation and financing.   Talks carried on through the final night of the conference and were suspended […]

86% of Irish people support stricter protection of Marine Protected Areas Press Release 25 June 2024   New polls released today show that 86% of citizens across 7 EU countries expect their political leaders to prioritise the protection of marine biodiversity. An independent polling company interviewed approximately 1000 people in each of the 7 EU […]

A Historic Day for Europe and Nature Press Release 17th June 2024   The EU Nature Restoration Law is finally passed by the EU Council of Environmental Minister’s after several years of negotiations   The EU Nature restoration Law which aims to restore 20% of EU land and 20% of EU seas was finally passed […]

IWT welcomes government support for Nature Restoration Law and calls on other states to step up for nature.  Press Release 14/6/2023   The Nature Restoration Law is officially on the agenda for debate and a potential vote in the upcoming EU Environment Council meeting on the 17th June.    This is the final meeting of […]

EU wide campaign launched to end destructive bottom trawling in protected areas Press Release April 24th 2024   A new report, co-authored by Marine Conservation Society, Seas at Risk and Oceana looks at destructive bottom trawling in 7 EU Member States’ marine Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and urges the European Commission to ban bottom […]

Irish Wildlife Trust refuses to accept cash over conviction Press Release 14th March 2024   The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) is disappointed to learn that in a recent wildlife crime court case a successful conviction for the destruction of a badger sett was altered on appeal to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The court applied […]

Nature Restoration Law passed by European Parliament Press Release 27th February 2024   The Irish Wildlife Trust welcomes the passing of the Nature Restoration Law and believes this is a substantial step forward on the way to restoring our degraded ecosystems. While the law has been weakened since the Commission’s original proposal back in 2022, it […]

Press Release Essential Nature Restoration Law Survives EU Negotiations Published 10th November 2023   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 […]

Press Release Environmental NGOs Rebukes Government For Slow Progress On Key Ocean Protection Legislation Published: 25 October 2023 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 […]

Press Release Wildart 2023 – Children’s Wildlife Art Competition open for Entries 10th October     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 […]

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 […]

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 Bad news for bogs as designated areas set to lose protections 4th July 2023 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 […]

Press Release European Court of Justice issues damning indictment of Ireland’s failure to protect nature 29th June 2023 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 which means […]

Press Release Irish Wildlife Trust welcomes Irish Government support for Nature Restoration 20th June 2023    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 […]

Press Release MEPs have voted to keep the Nature Restoration Law alive and fought off attempts to quash it by the European People’s Party (Fine Geal’s European group) 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 […]

Press Release Irish political leaders must support Nature Restoration in the European Parliament May 25th 2023   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 This week the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries (PECH) and Agriculture and […]

Press Release Irish Wildlife Trust calls on the Government to send the Citizens’ Assembly report to an Oireachtas committee to fast-track action for nature 24th May 2023    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 Ireland and UK conservation groups unite to call on the Government to reintroduce the sturgeon – Ireland’s lost ‘dinosaur fish’ 19th May 2023 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 Citizens’ Assembly report on Biodiversity Loss a damning indictment of the State’s failure to protect nature 05th April 2023   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 […]

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  Irish Wildlife Trust celebrates rewilding at special event in Longford this weekend 21st March 2023   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  Hill burning season a symptom of political apathy in the face of our biodiversity emergency  02nd March 2023 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  Irish Wildlife Trust welcomes comments from Tánaiste that the State should buy land for rewilding 24th January 2023   The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) welcomes the comments from Tánaiste Micheál Martin, 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 […]