27 November 1997 Edition
A voice for the environment
Robert Allen reports on the formation of a new environmental group in Ireland
A new voice for the environment was heard this month. It is a voice which, if it is sincere, could become a catalyst for Irish green activism in the 26 Counties.
Voice of Irish Concern for the Environment (VOICE) has emerged out of the debris of Greenpeace Ireland which was forced to close earlier this year after failing to pay its own way.
The former leadership of Greenpeace, which includes Fr Sean McDonagh - a priest who has been attempting to ``green'' the Catholic church for many years, persuaded Greenpeace International to put up the seed money for the new organisation. But that's where it ends. VOICE is now on its own and is looking for membership subscriptions.
McDonagh is the chairman of VOICE and he is joined on the board by Gay Brabazon, John Dunne, Paddy Mackey, Hilda Duff, Denis Leonard Collins, Paul Bracken. VOICE has been set up as a limited company but no decision has been taken on charitable status. VOICE has nine ``prominent'' Patrons - Sr. Mary Minehan, Darina Allen, Pauline Bewick, Don Conroy, John Feehan, Brendan Kennelly, Christy Moore, John Seymour and Michelle de Bruen.
It is the belief of the people who have set up VOICE that Greenpeace Ireland left behind unfinished business - protection of Ireland's waterways - and that will be the focus for the new group, starting with a campaign to highlight the pollution of the Liffey.
Iva Pocock, a former Greenpeace Ireland researcher who has been employed as VOICE's full-time campaigns co-ordinator, has been entrusted with this task - one which she believes will reflect the long term strategy of the fledgling group.
``It is difficult to know what we can achieve in our Liffey campaign but I think it is difficult to see the fruits of environmental campaigning in the short term. We are working with foresight and VOICE is in the minority in this regard - along with all those whose vision extends beyond this generation. But obviously it is vital that there are a few voices rising above the present tidal wave of an environmentally destructive booming economy.
``Simply we want to bring to public attention the fact that the Liffey is slowly dying - that the river is not in a chronically polluted state but that slowly the cumulative effect of river-sewer is killing this river. We want to make the links between many other environmentally destructive practices in the catchment, to the issue of the quality of the Liffey's water. We want to expose the failure of legislation to protect this river and the constant pollution that toxic based industry and agriculture produce.''
``We are looking at such things as sewage treatment, industrial discharge, quarrying and also agricultural run-off. In the new year we will be releasing our findings,'' says Pocock, adding that by ``choosing the Liffey we are not ignoring the rest of Ireland's rivers and lakes rather using the Liffey catchment to highlight problems which are common to all waterways''.
Given that VOICE are following in Greenpeace Ireland's footprints it would be easy to assume that they will make the same mistakes, but Pocock is adamant that the new group will find its own identity and will establishment itself in a manner that Greenpeace failed to do.
Whether VOICE will remain truly apolitical and still work with everyone who is concerned with green issues remains to be seen. Pocock has no doubts. ``VOICE acknowledges that it cannot do much alone. Our ethos is to inform and encourage people not previously active in environmental campaigning to take ownership of their water, air, earth. In order to do this we must do preliminary research and avail of the help of many people in many walks of life as a starting point to inform people about what is really going on.''
Pocock also feels that VOICE must approach the Dublin Government and the 26 County State in a much more inclusive manner and challenge the activities of the Environmental Protection Agency. ``In terms of dealing with the Government it is vital that as an environmental organisation we do not simply engage with the Department of the Environment. The environment is not something that can be neatly packaged; in fact decisions that are made in other Government departments have far more affect on the environment. It is vital to engage with these people.''
If Pocock is saying that VOICE will respond to the social as well as the environmental needs of communities there are many who will welcome the new group into the firmament of green groups, but she is aware that VOICE must not be seen simply as propagandists and lobbyists. ``Actions will be taken when deemed necessary,'' she stresses, adding that ``surely the purpose of them is to get things to change,'' refuting the notion that they should be media stunts.
VOICE are certainly welcome, especially as they are Irish and understand the unique problems that affect the Irish environment. ``The bottom line is that our lakes and rivers cannot be used as both spring and sewer'', says Pocock ``The basic ecological principle that everything is connected must be central to all decisions regarding Ireland's waterways.''
VOICE can be contacted at: 14 Upper Pembroke Street, Dublin 2.
Tel: 01-6618123 Fax: 01-6618114 E-mail: [email protected]
A new voice for the environment was heard this month. It is a voice which, if it is sincere, could become a catalyst for Irish green activism in the 26 Counties.
Voice of Irish Concern for the Environment (VOICE) has emerged out of the debris of Greenpeace Ireland which was forced to close earlier this year after failing to pay its own way.
The former leadership of Greenpeace, which includes Fr Sean McDonagh - a priest who has been attempting to ``green'' the Catholic church for many years, persuaded Greenpeace International to put up the seed money for the new organisation. But that's where it ends. VOICE is now on its own and is looking for membership subscriptions.
McDonagh is the chairman of VOICE and he is joined on the board by Gay Brabazon, John Dunne, Paddy Mackey, Hilda Duff, Denis Leonard Collins, Paul Bracken. VOICE has been set up as a limited company but no decision has been taken on charitable status. VOICE has nine ``prominent'' Patrons - Sr. Mary Minehan, Darina Allen, Pauline Bewick, Don Conroy, John Feehan, Brendan Kennelly, Christy Moore, John Seymour and Michelle de Bruen.
It is the belief of the people who have set up VOICE that Greenpeace Ireland left behind unfinished business - protection of Ireland's waterways - and that will be the focus for the new group, starting with a campaign to highlight the pollution of the Liffey.
Iva Pocock, a former Greenpeace Ireland researcher who has been employed as VOICE's full-time campaigns co-ordinator, has been entrusted with this task - one which she believes will reflect the long term strategy of the fledgling group.
``It is difficult to know what we can achieve in our Liffey campaign but I think it is difficult to see the fruits of environmental campaigning in the short term. We are working with foresight and VOICE is in the minority in this regard - along with all those whose vision extends beyond this generation. But obviously it is vital that there are a few voices rising above the present tidal wave of an environmentally destructive booming economy.
``Simply we want to bring to public attention the fact that the Liffey is slowly dying - that the river is not in a chronically polluted state but that slowly the cumulative effect of river-sewer is killing this river. We want to make the links between many other environmentally destructive practices in the catchment, to the issue of the quality of the Liffey's water. We want to expose the failure of legislation to protect this river and the constant pollution that toxic based industry and agriculture produce.''
``We are looking at such things as sewage treatment, industrial discharge, quarrying and also agricultural run-off. In the new year we will be releasing our findings,'' says Pocock, adding that by ``choosing the Liffey we are not ignoring the rest of Ireland's rivers and lakes rather using the Liffey catchment to highlight problems which are common to all waterways''.
Given that VOICE are following in Greenpeace Ireland's footprints it would be easy to assume that they will make the same mistakes, but Pocock is adamant that the new group will find its own identity and will establishment itself in a manner that Greenpeace failed to do.
Whether VOICE will remain truly apolitical and still work with everyone who is concerned with green issues remains to be seen. Pocock has no doubts. ``VOICE acknowledges that it cannot do much alone. Our ethos is to inform and encourage people not previously active in environmental campaigning to take ownership of their water, air, earth. In order to do this we must do preliminary research and avail of the help of many people in many walks of life as a starting point to inform people about what is really going on.''
Pocock also feels that VOICE must approach the Dublin Government and the 26 County State in a much more inclusive manner and challenge the activities of the Environmental Protection Agency. ``In terms of dealing with the Government it is vital that as an environmental organisation we do not simply engage with the Department of the Environment. The environment is not something that can be neatly packaged; in fact decisions that are made in other Government departments have far more affect on the environment. It is vital to engage with these people.''
If Pocock is saying that VOICE will respond to the social as well as the environmental needs of communities there are many who will welcome the new group into the firmament of green groups, but she is aware that VOICE must not be seen simply as propagandists and lobbyists. ``Actions will be taken when deemed necessary,'' she stresses, adding that ``surely the purpose of them is to get things to change,'' refuting the notion that they should be media stunts.
VOICE are certainly welcome, especially as they are Irish and understand the unique problems that affect the Irish environment. ``The bottom line is that our lakes and rivers cannot be used as both spring and sewer'', says Pocock ``The basic ecological principle that everything is connected must be central to all decisions regarding Ireland's waterways.''
VOICE can be contacted at: 14 Upper Pembroke Street, Dublin 2.
Tel: 01-6618123 Fax: 01-6618114 E-mail: [email protected]