A big thanks to all who helped out in the recent election campaign. A special thanks to Cadogan, Marcus and John who travelled from Down to put up most of the posters in the area! Also of course to those who canvassed, Yvonne for leaflet and poster design and Brian for acting as election agent.
The Green Party is now at a regathering point. If you're convinced by Green political ideas or worried about the future of the planet, now is a good time to get involved - that's whether you're happy or unhappy with going into Government and what we achieved there.
Feasta Public Lecture
Written by davidhea
Feb 27, 2011 at 03:40 PM
Invitation to Public Lecture: Understanding the Present - Peak Oil, Food, Credit, & the End of Growth
with David Korowicz, Feasta (the Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability) & Risk-Resilience
Chaired by John Gibbons
A recent UN FAO (Food and Agricultural Organisation) index measuring the price of a basket of food commodities surpasses the 2008 record and oil prices again rise above $100 a barrel. This is in the context of a battered world economy and a credit crisis that, far from being resolved, has merely been displaced. Food and energy prices are pushing popular revolutions in the Gulf and North Africa, which in turn are pushing up food and energy prices.
Is this a passing phase, or are we on the edge of a profound and systemic transition in the global economy? What does it mean for Ireland? How might we move forward?
Where: The Greenhouse, St Andrew St, Dublin 2 When: 7pm, this coming Tuesday, March 1st, 2011 Cost: €5 (Feasta/Cultivate member and unwaged), otherwise €20 or €10 (depending on ability to pay) Copies of Feasta's Fleeing Vesuvius will be on sale at a discounted price of €17 For further information contact either
or
Comments in relation to proposed sculpture
Written by davidhea
Aug 13, 2010 at 12:00 AM
My submission in relation to the Réalt na Mara / Star of the Sea sculpture.
Green activist David Healy welcomes An Bord Pleanála's ruling that Howth Junction Station needs planning permission.
An Bord Pleanála has ruled that most of Howth Junction train station was illegally rebuilt without planning permission. The decision was made in response to a section 5 referral submitted by Fingal County Council as a result of a motion from then Councillor David Healy. David is particularly concerned that the rebuilt train station does not provide for mobility impaired access to Fás Training Centre and Baldoyle Industrial Estate.
A year of emails to Dublin City Council, still no enforcement or even reply!
Written by davidhea
May 04, 2010 at 02:54 PM
My objection to Dublin City Council in relation to the lack of mobility impaired access at Howth Junction was successful. Dublin City Council's decision included the following condition:
"2. Within 3 months of the final date of this decision, the applicant shall demonstrate adherence to the Disability Act 2005, the Guidance Framework on Good Practice in Developing on Implementation Plan in Local Authorities and National Guidelines in relation to accessibility to mobility impaired people, the applicant shall be required to undertake the following: (a) To clearly indicate on plan and elevation drawings all access/ egress from and to the station and through the site, including public right of way through site and to demonstrate accessibility to mobility impaired persons. Such drawings and details shall be certified by a suitably qualified person with expertise and experience with regard to accessibility for mobility impaired persons. Reason: In order for the retained development to meet the requirements for access to mobility impaired persons"
I first wrote to the City Council in relation to non-compliance with this condition in April 2009. I still have had no substantive reply. Emails copied below:
Prosperity without Growth a report (and forthcoming book) by Tim Jackson from the UK Sustainable Development Commission is an excellent overview of what is going wrong and the direction we need to go in to reach sustainability. It is a remarkably clear and straightforward synthesis, very readable but getting to the heart of the challenge we face.
Development Plan submission
Written by davidhea
Jun 26, 2009 at 04:10 PM
A chairde,
5 years ago I made a submission in relation to the overall sustainable development approach of the Development Plan and in particular the energy transition aspects of the Plan. I attach a copy for information.
Unfortunately, it did not lead to a fundamental change in the plan itself. However, the work of the Green Councillors in the intervening period did lead to a significant improvement in the handling of energy issues by the Council, in particular through the introduction of building energy standards in Local Area Plans. A good start has been made in progress towards sustainability in other areas as well, including residential design and incorporating biodiversity into planning and other areas of Council activity.
Nonetheless, the work in all these areas is just a start. There is a long way to go and I urge the Council in preparing a draft plan to focus on the transition to sustainability.
The plan should not assume that a continuation of business as usual is possible. In fact, we are coming up against the limits to growth. This is evident in many respects:
* We are at the peak availability of the oil and gas supplies on which our lifestyles and the growth economy are predicated.(As predicted (Before the Wells Run Dry, 2003) the resulting price spike has knocked the global economy into recession and prices have fallen again due to the recession. As demand recovers, prices will spike again.) * We have exceeded the ability of the atmosphere to absorb fossil fuel emissions and are massively disrupting the climate as a result. * We have exceeded the capacity of the biosphere and are causing massive biodiversity loss as a result.
Some links which will give ideas of the kinds of actions which could be integrated into the Strategy:
I suggest that the use of a methodology such as the ecological footprint (see www.envirocentre.co.uk, www.bestfootforward.co.uk)also be considered.
Regards,
David Healy
Thanks
Written by davidhea
Jun 07, 2009 at 11:22 AM
I, along with my Green Party/Comhaontas Glas colleagues in Fingal and elsewhere in Dublin, lost in the recent election.
A sincere thank you to all of the local activists and campaigners both within and outside the Green Party for your help and support over the campaign but also for your input and advice over the last 5 years on the Council. I would also like to thank everyone who voted for me and those who gave me and our campaign team such encouragement on the doors during a long month of intensive canvassing.
Meanwhile, the problems of the resource and climate crisis haven't gone away and Feasta is organising a major conference on Wednesday to Friday on The New Emergency.
The world will never be the same again
Written by davidhea
Jun 03, 2009 at 12:00 AM
(Although I'm usually pretty strict about keeping this website on local issues, this article on the big picture was in my recent newsletter and people found it interesting. Thanks to Richard Douthwaite for much of the content.)
Almost every day, an economist, a banker or an organisation like the
IMF tells us that the US economy will start to pick up at the end of
the year. Most of them then add that it could be two years after that
before life gets back to normal in Ireland and the rest of the world.
They are wrong. The world will never be “normal” again. It will never
return to the high-growth path that gave birth to the Celtic Tiger.
Here's why:
Failure to place bins on beaches a disgrace - Healy
Written by davidhea
Jun 02, 2009 at 12:00 AM
Green Party Councillor for Howth David Healy has condemned Fingal
County Council’s failure to operate a cleaning service over the bank
holiday weekend.
Letter to Fingal Development Board about Howth Junction access
Written by davidhea
May 13, 2009 at 03:53 PM
Arising from a report to the Fingal Development Board at its meeting today, I have written to relevant Board members and staff asking them to get involved with the problem at Howth Junction.
In 2006, I brought forward a motion to have terms of reference for consultants brought to the Councillors before they were issued. As frequently happens when Councillors seek to take a role in decision-making, the Manager went to Senior Counsel to get legal advice that this motion was illegal, legal advice which I think is completely ill-founded. The matter was brought up at the Corporate Policy Group which in December 2006 decided as follows:
"It was AGREED to identify upcoming Contract and Briefs to Consultants and list them on Area Meeting Agenda."
So this month, I asked how many had been referred to the Area Cttees. The answer: None.
The Department of the Marine has illegally blocked off access to Claremont Beach from the little road between the Scouts' Quarterdeck and Ivan's restaurant. I have been pushing for planning enforcement. You might be able to help.
