Dear Mr Rabbitte,
With respect, I would contend, as a resident and someone with concerns about the critical state of the environment with regard to biodiversity loss, that the North West Mayo Forum does not and has never represented all interested parties. Nor does it provide a forum for discussion and negotiation on issues of concern (amongst which is the impact of the proposed project on a Natura 2000 site). Certainly some platform for dialogue needs to be provided. But questions hang over many elements of the forum itself - in particular, what kinds of interests are represented - as well as clarity over the nature of discussions taking place. As your own comment suggests, there is also a disparity between the purported role of the forum and its actual performance (why, in other words, has it not met for so long? What discussions took place around the different concerns and interests of the parties involved and where was this information disseminated?) And, in particular, how were environmental interests represented, given that the proposed project runs through an EU designated site, and given Ireland's poor record on the protection of its natural heritage (see, for instance, the ECJ ruling on waste water and sewerage: did you know that Belmullet town still has no sewerage? Has anyone ever clarified what happened to sewerage from the plant during the early years of construction?) I would be interested to learn how you propose to address these and other outstanding issues.
Lucy Bingham McAndrew
Posted on 14 May 2011 8:06 am
Dear Mr Rabbitte,
With respect, I would contend, as a resident and someone with concerns about the critical state of the environment with regard to biodiversity loss, that the North West Mayo Forum does not and has never represented all interested parties. Nor does it provide a forum for discussion and negotiation on issues of concern (amongst which is the impact of the proposed project on a Natura 2000 site). Certainly some platform for dialogue needs to be provided. But questions hang over many elements of the forum itself - in particular, what kinds of interests are represented - as well as clarity over the nature of discussions taking place. As your own comment suggests, there is also a disparity between the purported role of the forum and its actual performance (why, in other words, has it not met for so long? What discussions took place around the different concerns and interests of the parties involved and where was this information disseminated?) And, in particular, how were environmental interests represented, given that the proposed project runs through an EU designated site, and given Ireland's poor record on the protection of its natural heritage (see, for instance, the ECJ ruling on waste water and sewerage: did you know that Belmullet town still has no sewerage? Has anyone ever clarified what happened to sewerage from the plant during the early years of construction?) I would be interested to learn how you propose to address these and other outstanding issues.