Is our wildlife safe in this mans hands?

Birdnuts

It looks like the new Minister for Environment is to be one Phil Hogan. Going on what I've read about him in print and online, I fear we may be dealing with a cross between Tom Parlon and Martin Cullen!!:eek:.

Anyone like to allay my fears??:(

Traonach

Links?

magicbastarder

this was mooted a while back.

a man who gave evidence at the moriarty tribunal, and whose evidence was contradicted by garret fitzgerald's son, who said he'd abolish the tribunal given half a chance. talk about a conflict of interest.

magicbastarder

Traonach wrote: »

Links?

Phil Hogan, one of Fine Gael’s three negotiators, is regarded as the favourite to become minister for the environment and the party’s enterprise spokesman Richard Bruton is being tipped to get the enterprise position.

However, both parties emphasised yesterday that no final decision had been made on the allotment of cabinet positions and that would only be finalised after both leaders spoke today and possibly tomorrow morning before the 31st Dáil convenes for the first time.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0308/breaking20.html

Birdnuts

magicbastarder wrote: »

this was mooted a while back.

a man who gave evidence at the moriarty tribunal, and whose evidence was contradicted by garret fitzgerald's son, who said he'd abolish the tribunal given half a chance. talk about a conflict of interest.

Then theres the "Covanta" issue in relation to his tussel with John Gormley over the private incinerator in Ringsend

Birdnuts

Apparently its just been confirmed on Radio 1 - the prospects for our Natural Heritage just got a whole lot dimmer:(

Mothman

I don't believe one should spell out doom and gloom on what the new Minister for the Environment may or may not do. I'm going to judge by performance.

A lot of out Natural Heritage is in the hands of the people on the ground. Surely this is not going to change much?

Run_to_da_hills

I would be more concerned about Bertie Ahern than anyone with the proposed sell off of our state Forests by our outgoing government to private enterprise.

Half-cocked

Our natural heritage is mainly protected by EU directives rather than home grown domestic legislation. The job of all recent Ministers seems to consist of stalling with implementation of EU directives while being distracted by minor side issues (ie stag hunting). So will the new fella be any different? I think not.

Dusty87

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

I would be more concerned about Bertie Ahern than anyone with the proposed sell off of our state Forests by our outgoing government to private enterprise.

forests are safe now.

magicbastarder

Dusty87 wrote: »

forests are safe now.

what makes you say this?

Half-cocked

magicbastarder wrote: »

what makes you say this?

Because Bertie is involved, it'll be bound to go pear shaped?;)

magicbastarder

this is the latest found on google news:
http://www.tv3.ie/article.php?article_id=55107&locID=1.2&pagename=news

might just be repeating what was in the programme for government.

littlebug

magicbastarder wrote: »

this is the latest found on google news:
http://www.tv3.ie/article.php?article_id=55107&locID=1.2&pagename=news

might just be repeating what was in the programme for government.

We locked the last thread on the forest issue as we didn't see any concrete evidence, just speculation and rumour.
With that article I still don't see evidence either way e.g. "tv3 have learned" but they don't say from whom. The lack of direct quotes makes it read as more speculation to me.
In other words, the other thread remains locked until further evidence either way and discussion with MM and it would be good if this one doesn't become focused on the forests issue

edited to clarify... just a general point and not specifically directed at you magicbastarder.

magicbastarder

fair enough - getting back to phil hogan, apparently he's much more amenable to the dublin incinerator than gormley; but i think he said he'd wait for the report into it, which by all accounts is quick negative on the prospect.

Dusty87

magicbastarder wrote: »

what makes you say this?

on the news on today fm last night.

magicbastarder

Birdnuts wrote: »

he was concerned about the NPWS use of "extreme science" - what the hell does that mean

it means science which proves his views wrong.

magicbastarder

actually, here's the relevant section - he doesn't use the phrase 'extreme science':

Phil Hogan: Éamon Gilmore and the Labour party know that he has to make sure the EU Habitats Directive is implemented or otherwise we will be fined by the European Commission. So Fine Gael are not proposing to do anything illegal. We’re going to comply with the EU Habitats Directive but we’re going to look at the manner of its implementation. That allows for Management Plans to be set up in respect of each bog where stakeholders and people who have been involved in turf cutting for hundreds of years will come to the table with an independent chairman and a scientist to meet the Habitats Directive and at the same time to allow turf cutting for domestic purposes to continue.

At the moment the National Parks and Wildlife Service in my view have an extreme interpretation of the Habitats Directive which limits consultation. There’s a degree of mistrust in relation to some of the scientific advice that has come over the years from the National Parks and Wildlife Service and that needs to be overcome. We need a little more consultation and flexibility by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. I believe that their scientific advice can often be very extreme.

Tony Lowes: Could any policy be delivered by the Parks and Wildlife Service the way it has been eviscerated over recent years?

Phil Hogan: A 60% reduction for their funding for 2011 is not going to leave them the necessary resources to implement anything. I’d value the opportunity to review all that and to make sure that the people who are the custodians of the various directives are properly resourced.

http://www.villagemagazine.ie/index.php/2011/03/phil-hogan-interviewed-from-current-magazine-and-tony-lowes-blog/

magicbastarder

it's just been announced; he got the job.

Birdnuts

magicbastarder wrote: »

actually, here's the relevant section - he doesn't use the phrase 'extreme science':

http://www.villagemagazine.ie/index.php/2011/03/phil-hogan-interviewed-from-current-magazine-and-tony-lowes-blog/

Yeah - I mixed up the phrasing but this:

"At the moment the National Parks and Wildlife Service in my view have an extreme interpretation of the Habitats Directive which limits consultation. There’s a degree of mistrust in relation to some of the scientific advice that has come over the years from the National Parks and Wildlife Service and that needs to be overcome. We need a little more consultation and flexibility by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. I believe that their scientific advice can often be very extreme."

should set alarm bells ringing for anyone who supports science based conservation:eek:

Traonach

magicbastarder wrote: »

actually, here's the relevant section - he doesn't use the phrase 'extreme science':

http://www.villagemagazine.ie/index.php/2011/03/phil-hogan-interviewed-from-current-magazine-and-tony-lowes-blog/

I don't like the sound of that. I see the turf cutting ban on SAC's that John Gormley introduced being rolled back:(.

At the moment the National Parks and Wildlife Service in my view have an extreme interpretation of the Habitats Directive which limits consultation

Rolling back on Habitat Directive as well:(

Birdnuts

magicbastarder wrote: »

it's just been announced; he got the job.

I blame Labour for this:mad: - they promised before the election that ex-GP voters and others could trust them with environmental, planning and sustaineablity issues, then they go and support the likes of Hogan for this job:(

magicbastarder

Birdnuts wrote: »

I blame Labour for this:mad:

i think your blame is a bit misplaced. labour have just less than one thrid the number of seats in the coalition. it's not as if they were in the driving seat.

hogan was guaranteed a seat at cabinet due to his loyalty and work for kenny; it's not something labour would have pressed insanely hard on, and they'd have been seen to be insanely stupid if they made a stand on environmental issues when the economy is uppermost in peoples' minds.

Birdnuts

magicbastarder wrote: »

, and they'd have been seen to be insanely stupid if they made a stand on environmental issues when the economy is uppermost in peoples' minds.

I accept that but they could have pushed the environmental agenda in this Dept as a means of boosting tourism and Irelands food exports. The likes of Hogan certainly don't inspire confidence that he has such joined up thinking and will probably pander to the usual vested interests like the IFA, big-agri business, IBEC etc.:(

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Jeez lads, give them a chance!:mad:

There are (I hate to say) more important issues facing the government and the country at the moment.

Birdnuts

Alayna Gifted Cabinet wrote: »

Jeez lads, give them a chance!:mad:

There are (I hate to say) more important issues facing the government and the country at the moment.

Well I have referred to the "bigger picture" and theres no point replacing one type of faulty political culture with another very similiar one - and that goes for any issue you care to mention from conservation to social issues to economics.

Mothman

and the "bigger picture" is outside the scope of this forum

johngalway

Mothman has, in my view, the wisest way of looking at the situation. Judge the Minister on his performance.