Tag Archives: Aarhus Treaty; Aarhus Convention; UN; EU; windfarms; NREAP; Pat Swords; Rabbitte; environment; wind turbines; consultation; EirGrid; GridLink; John Lowry; Fine Gael; Fianna Fail; Labour Party; Green P

Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose

Posted on January 13, 2018 by

An interesting commentary from Pat Swords on the North-South Interconnector: “Some thoughts and facts about the Ireland of today with further confirmation that we don’t live in anything that even remotely approaches a Democracy. Still one gives it a ‘poke’ … Continue reading →

Posted in An Bord Pleanala; appeal; interested parties, Democracy; Ireland; Fine Gael; Labour; Sinn Fein; Workers; Constitution, EIA Directive 2014/52/EU, EirGrid; Insurance; Law; Cancer; EMF, EU Renewable Energy 2020 Target | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Pat Swords vs Minister for Communications,Energy and Natural Resources & Attorney-General

Posted on August 15, 2016 by

  After a year of waiting, the judgment is finally out, and it does not make for pretty reading. The learned judge found against Pat in his condonation for delay application, and failed to rule on the protective costs application. … Continue reading →

Posted in EIA Directive 2014/52/EU, EU Renewable Energy 2020 Target, judicial review; Wednesbury Test; O'Keeffe; rationality; Separation of Powers, Legal Costs; Access to Justice; Courts, Pat Swords, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters; Aarhus Convention; Aarhus Treaty | Tagged , | 9 Comments

Just another brick in the wall -important decision on substituted consent

Posted on April 29, 2016 by

As we all know, there are always time limits within which to make challenges against administrative decisions. These are often quite tight for the simple reason that these administrative decisions are usually about local government and if there were long … Continue reading →

Posted in EirGrid; Insurance; Law; Cancer; EMF, Kilvinane Wind Farm Ltd; substituted consent, Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA); Grid 25; North-South Interconnector | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

The Anatomy of a Wind Farm Contract – Part 3

Posted on March 3, 2016 by

  In Part 1 we looked at the nature of the Option granted by the landowner to the wind developer, which effectively placed the use of the land beyond the control of the landowner, often for relatively small sums of … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy; Ireland; Fine Gael; Labour; Sinn Fein; Workers; Constitution, EirGrid; Insurance; Law; Cancer; EMF, EU Renewable Energy 2020 Target, Green Party; Ireland; Eamonn Ryan; Cormac Manning, Irish Farmers Association; IFA; wind farm contracts, NREAP; National Renewable Energy Action Plan; EU Commission; Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee; ACCC, Planning and Development Act 2000; guidelines; directives; Sections 28 & 29, Planning Permission; Extension; Planning and Development Act, Wind Farm Contract | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

How Relevant is the Green Party?

Posted on February 24, 2016 by

  Nigel de Haas, who is a regular reader of, and contributor to, this blog; had been conducting a fascinating conversation with Cormac Manning, a Green Party candidate for this election, concerning the Green Party Manifesto on Energy. . Readers … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy; Ireland; Fine Gael; Labour; Sinn Fein; Workers; Constitution, EU Renewable Energy 2020 Target, Green Party; Ireland; Eamonn Ryan; Cormac Manning, lobbying; democracy; political process; general election, NREAP; National Renewable Energy Action Plan; EU Commission; Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee; ACCC | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

The amendment of Section 28 of the PDA 2000

Posted on February 18, 2016 by

A reader alerted me to an interesting amendment to the Planning and Development Act of 2000 (PDA 2000). Section 28 relates to guidelines issued by the Minister (or in the case of wind farms, not issued by the Minister since … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy; Ireland; Fine Gael; Labour; Sinn Fein; Workers; Constitution, EU Renewable Energy 2020 Target, judicial review; Wednesbury Test; O'Keeffe; rationality; Separation of Powers, lobbying; democracy; political process; general election, Paudie Coffey; series compensation; Fine Gael; Alan Kelly; Alex White, Peremptory law; Directory Law; Planning and Devlopment Act of 2000, Planning and Development Act 2000; guidelines; directives; Sections 28 & 29, Planning Permission; Extension; Planning and Development Act | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

The Anatomy of a Wind Farm Contract – Part 2

Posted on February 15, 2016 by

  In my previous blog I explained how a typical wind farm contract consists of two divisible parts, an Option and a Lease. When looking at an Option, I came to the inescapable conclusion that by selling the wind farm … Continue reading →

Posted in EirGrid; Insurance; Law; Cancer; EMF, Irish Farmers Association; IFA; wind farm contracts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Anatomy of a Wind Farm Contract – Part 1

Posted on February 11, 2016 by

  I am often approached by people asking me to explain just how a wind farm contract works. I usually evade these questions either by honestly pleading ignorance or less honestly, by using the well-used cop-out employed by lawyers: “It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Apple; Google; Data Centre, Democracy; Ireland; Fine Gael; Labour; Sinn Fein; Workers; Constitution, EirGrid; Insurance; Law; Cancer; EMF, EU Renewable Energy 2020 Target, Framore Limited, lobbying; democracy; political process; general election, NREAP; National Renewable Energy Action Plan; EU Commission; Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee; ACCC, Paudie Coffey; series compensation; Fine Gael; Alan Kelly; Alex White, Planning Permission; Extension; Planning and Development Act, South Africa, wind turbines, developing nations,, Wind Farm Contract, Wind Turbine Syndrome; Professor Alun Evans | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Suir Valley Environmental Conference 2016

Posted on February 4, 2016 by

A truly excellent conference was held by the Suir Valley Environmental Group on 20 January 2016. The three speakers were Fred Udo, Colm McCarthy and David Hughes. Their respective presentations are clear and concise, and well worth a viewing. They … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Research; Peer-Review Process; Medical Journals, Apple; Google; Data Centre, Cloud; iCloud; Data Centre; Data Center, EirGrid; Insurance; Law; Cancer; EMF, EU Renewable Energy 2020 Target, lobbying; democracy; political process; general election, NREAP; National Renewable Energy Action Plan; EU Commission; Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee; ACCC, Paudie Coffey; series compensation; Fine Gael; Alan Kelly; Alex White, Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA); Grid 25; North-South Interconnector | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Economy-Crushing Consequences of Massively Subsidised Wind Power

Posted on January 29, 2016 by

  Great blog from “Stop these Things”. Although written about the UK, the same is true of Ireland – probably worse, given our smaller economy / market. The Economy Crushing Consequences of Massively Subsidised Wind Power

Posted in Apple; Google; Data Centre, Cloud; iCloud; Data Centre; Data Center, EU Renewable Energy 2020 Target, NREAP; National Renewable Energy Action Plan; EU Commission; Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee; ACCC, Paudie Coffey; series compensation; Fine Gael; Alan Kelly; Alex White | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Outrage in Turkey

Posted on January 10, 2016 by

Turkey is desperate to become a fully-fledged member of the EU. It certainly seems to be corrupt enough to warrant membership, alongside the likes of Italy, France, Germany and Ireland, especially when it comes to environmental issues. . This latest … Continue reading →

Posted in Arsin Demir, Çalık Holding; Turkey; EU; renewables, EirGrid; Insurance; Law; Cancer; EMF | Tagged , | 2 Comments

In Violation of Aarhus

Posted on November 21, 2015 by

Pat Swords has been waging a lone battle on our behalf for a very long time now, but at last his efforts are bearing fruit. In honour of Pat’s bravery and dogged determination, I have selected portions of his writing … Continue reading →

Posted in Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters; Aarhus Convention; Aarhus Treaty | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Spokes of the Wheel

Posted on November 14, 2015 by

‘The Spokes Of The Wheel‘ is an exciting new film project that explores proposed renewable energy plans in Ireland, as our country strives to reach its 2020 target, of 40 per cent electricity generated from renewable sources. . The film … Continue reading →

Posted in The Spokes of the Wheel; wind farms; Ireland; Windfall | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Wind Terror in Turkey

Posted on October 20, 2015 by

http://gazetedokuzeylul.com/?p=25335 . If you thought the carry-on and underhand tactics by the wind companies in Ireland was something to believe, feel relieved that you are not being threatened by the Turkish wind industry (probably owned by the same crowd?), who … Continue reading →

Posted in Turkey; ABK Çeşme RES Enerji Elektrik Üretim A.Ş, Wind Turbines: Esen Fatma Kabadayi Whiting | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

An Election Ploy?

Posted on October 11, 2015 by

The announcement by EirGrid that the GridLink Project has been scrapped causes mixed emotions. Jubilation by those who have fought for so long for this very outcome is understandable and healthy, as the tension and stress caused by this threatened … Continue reading →

Posted in EirGrid; Insurance; Law; Cancer; EMF | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Wind and the Green Dream: Flatulence and Fancy

Posted on September 12, 2015 by

The renewable energy industry, more particularly the wind industry, has always portrayed itself as the noble knight on the white charger, crusading to save our planet from global warming and climate change. . Nothing could be further from the truth. … Continue reading →

Posted in EIA Directive 2014/52/EU, EU Renewable Energy 2020 Target | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

What was it all for?

Posted on September 11, 2015 by

Hurrah! Windfarms produce a whopping ONE PERCENT of EU energy! The colossal, hugely expensive windfarms that are spread across huge areas of Europe’s land and sea, which are projected to drive up household energy bills by more than 50 per … Continue reading →

Posted in EIA Directive 2014/52/EU, EU Renewable Energy 2020 Target | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Erm, EirGrid – didn’t you forget something (or someone)?

Posted on August 29, 2015 by

What is a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)? Think of it as a mega environmental impact statement, or an XXL EIA (see my blog on the EIS and EIA). It is quite literally a national impact study of the environment and, … Continue reading →

Posted in Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA); Grid 25; North-South Interconnector | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments