Dear all, 

It is a simple but deeply important question to ask yourself before voting this Friday. 

Why so close to the shore? 

The truth is that the most recent Irish Governments, led by key roles held by Simon Coveney, Fine Gael, Darragh O'Brien, Fianna Fail and Eamon Ryan, Green Party, have given the Irish Foreshore to the lowest bidder.

There is an important opinion piece in the Irish Times this week. 

Ireland's failure to investigate floating wind farms is shameful

It spells out the legitimate concerns and questions we have been asking and will continue to ask to our Government officials, those out canvassing for a seat in the next Dáil and those who will be elected.  

• What environmental criteria have been used to select sandbanks as suitable locations for giant wind farms? 
• Why have we not used an ecosystem-based approach to planning and development - the cornerstone of EU environmental law?
• What legislative guardrails will the next Government put on the Irish foreshore to protect it from industrialisation?

In April this year, the answer to this very question, came from the horses mouth, Ossian Smyth, when he admitted to Katie Hannon on RTE Upfront, in response to Richard Boyd Barrett; that the Government has followed a developer led model so far. 

"In the next phase, there will be designated marine protected area plans, stretching from Waterford to Cork and in those areas, the State will have put in the electricity connections, planned out for the impact on the environment, and that's moving away from the developer led model that we have so far to a plan led model, and that is best practise, based on what happens in other countries." 

Upfront with Katie Hannon 22 April 2024

Use your vote carefully.

It's only our entire ecosystem at risk.

Sincerely,

All members of the South East Coast Protection Alliance.