Fishing rights: ‘Big corporations win out, because they have clout

By: 
Lorna Siggins - Irish Times

Supertrawler Atlantic Dawn sold a decade ago but deal works against smaller operations

The former owners of Atlantic Dawn, which once was Ireland’s biggest-ever trawler, stand to gain a bounty of at least €135 million from a series of decisions by successive governments about the rules pertaining to the Irish fleet.


The Dutch supertrawler Annelies Ilena – the renamed Atlantic Dawn – after being detained by the Irish Navy and Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority off the Donegal coast in November 2013. Photograph: Niall Duffy

Although the supertrawler was sold to a Dutch multinational in 2007, its one-time owners, the Atlantic Dawn Group, were able to retain its so-called “fishing asset” – its hugely valuable tonnage, kilowatts and quota rights under European Union rules.

Ironically, the value of those assets was increased substantially by the European Commission’s decision, more than a decade ago, to hinder the efforts of owners of other Irish vessels, mainly in the pelagic supertrawler category, to upgrade their fleet.

Fifteen years ago, an Irish civil servant warned that a deal brokered by then EU commissioner David Byrne and then taoiseach Bertie Ahern would hand the Atlantic Dawn Group extraordinary influence. This has “come to pass”, say industry sources.

Posted Date: 
9 January 2017
Link: 

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/fishing-rights-big-cor...

Gluaiseacht nominate Trump for next Irish Green Award

By: 
Gluaiseacht

Following last years awarding of the overall Green Award to Shell's Corrib Gas Tunnelling Project, this year environmental NGO Gluaiseacht are nominating Donald Trump for the Irish Green Award. The deadline for nominations is the 21st December 2016.

Last year BAM Civil/Wayss & Freytag won the “Green Business of the Year” and “Green Construction award” for their work on the 4.9km gas tunnel under Sruwaddacon estuary in order to complete Corrib Gas pipeline for Shell.[1]

“Giving the Irish Green Award to Donald Trump is the next logical step following the granting of last years award to a project which drilled a 4.9km tunnel through a Special Area of Conservation in order to open a new frontier of fossil fuel extraction.” says Gluaiseacht member Con Coughlan on the nomination of Trump.

“Donald Trump talks about 'Draining the Swamp' but last years winners were 'Draining the Bog' so that they could remove the 125,000 tonnes of peat needed to carry out their 'Green' project”.

Posted Date: 
20 December 2016
Link: 

http://gluaiseacht.ie/content/gluaiseacht-nominate-trump-next-irish-gree...

Fitzgerald should seek answers on undercover British police in Ireland

By: 
Shell to Sea

Open Letter to the Minister of Justice, Francis Fitzgerald

Shell to Sea are calling for the Minister of Justice, Francis Fitzgerald to seek that the inquiry into the behaviour of undercover British police (entitled the Pitchford Inquiry) be extended to include the activities of undercover police in Ireland.


Mark Kennedy (middle) undercover at Bellanaboy

The Pitchford Inquiry is so far only investigating undercover policing activities in England and Wales, however the German Government, the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland's Justice Minister, Claire Sugden have all called for the remit of the inquiry to be widen to include the activities of the undercover British police in their jurisdictions.

It is known that undercover British police officer, Mark Kennedy operated in Ireland intermittently for a number of years including monitoring Shell to Sea in March 2006. It is suspected that after leaving the British police Mark Kennedy provided information on protesters to energy companies.

Shell to Sea is calling on Minister Fitzgerald to add her name to this list of other Governments and call for the Pitchford Inquiry to extend the inquiry into activities of undercover British officers in Ireland.

Posted Date: 
16 December 2016

Ireland in top six for helping companies avoid taxes according to Oxfam report

By: 
Ed Carthy - Irish Examiner

Ireland has been ranked sixth in a new Oxfam developed league table of the world’s worst corporate tax havens.

Oxfam branded the Republic the sixth-worst country for helping corporations to avoid paying billions of euros in tax bills each year.

The development agency said profit-shifting, sweetheart deals and a lack of effective tax rules influenced the damning score.

Jim Clarken, CEO of the charity’s Irish division, said the country is part of a toxic global system that services the very wealthiest while ordinary people pay the price and lose out on essential public services.

“Around the world, we are known as a country of good fun, bad weather and awful tax policies that allow some of the world’s richest companies to avoid paying their fair share,” he said. “This is no badge of honour.”

Posted Date: 
12 December 2016
Link: 

https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/ireland-in-top-six-for-helping-com...

Filmmaker Risteard Ó Domhnaill: 'It's time for us to take ownership of decision-making regarding our natural resources'

By: 
Risteard Ó Domhnaill - TheJournal.ie

How many of us really know what is going on in our coastal communities, asks director of The Pipe, Risteard Ó Domhnaill.

WE VISIT THEM on our summer holidays. We like to see boats coming and going from piers and to eat seafood in local restaurants. We imagine what a great life the locals must have. But the reality for coastal communities is as far from the imagined maritime idyll as Newfoundland is from Kilmore Quay.

Posted Date: 
9 December 2016
Link: 

http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/do-we-value-our-oceans-in-ireland-312129...

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