Fintan Kelly
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fintankelly.bsky.social
Fintan Kelly
@fintankelly.bsky.social
A voice for nature 🌍 working on IE/EU Environmental Policy/Advocacy. All opinions my own. Roscommon 🐏 Connacht 🦅 Ireland ☘️
I'd change this headline to - Glen of the Downs nature reserve WILL expand after NPWS acquires large parcel of forestry land #RestoreNature 🙌 share.google/c8jydbJEGGrl...
Glen of the Downs nature reserve could expand after NPWS acquires large parcel of forestry land
‘We hope to see the National Parks & Wildlife Service resourcing an ambitious native woodland restoration project,’ says Irish Wildlife Trust
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November 27, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Rewilding can breathe new life into tired landscapes, reshaping the mundane into the miraculous. A future where nature lies in ruin isn't one where the human spirit can be free.
share.google/RgumpDH6cvrE...
Rewilding for nature recovery
It's easy to see the benefits of letting natural processes take the reins
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November 26, 2025 at 10:06 PM
The confirmation that 100ac of forestry adjacent to the Glen of the Downs has been bought by the NPWS is great news for Nature Restoration.

The opportunity to double the size of Irelands oldest nature reserve is a once in a limetime opportunity.
www.greystonesguide.ie/100-acres-of...
The Greystones Guide | This Bellevue Land Is Finally Our Land
National Parks & Wildlife Service snap up 100 acres…
www.greystonesguide.ie
November 26, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Reposted by Fintan Kelly
"We don’t want all of that traditional knowledge to be lost"

Delighted to see my former @irishwildlifetrust.bsky.social colleague Grace Carr featured in this series where she talks about the need for Marine Protected Areas 🐬

www.independent.ie/life/climate...
Climate Changemakers: ‘It’s unfair how much of the quota is given to a tiny number of larger fishing vessels’
Over the years, Ireland’s environmental and economic interests have been pitched at odds with one another. But this need not be the case, and championing small-scale fisheries is one way positive chan...
www.independent.ie
November 22, 2025 at 5:12 PM
A must-listen piece that does an excellent job of teasing out the psychology, science, and politics of the Nitrates Derogation.

As Dr. Elaine McGoff says, “We have a phosphorus solution to a nitrates problem.” Maybe it’s time we started working on the nitrates solution? @jessikaroswall.ec.europa.eu
Over the 19 years Ireland has had a derogation from the nitrates directive we have backed ourselves in to a corner. Which now leaves us having productive and economically viable farms or cleaner rivers and lakes, but not both.

Listen: 👉 www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
Nitrates derogation
Back in the early nineties all across the EU a rule was introduced to protect rivers and streams from agricultural run off. At the last count 7,000 out of 137,000 farms in Ireland had received a derog...
www.rte.ie
November 22, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Reposted by Fintan Kelly
Over the 19 years Ireland has had a derogation from the nitrates directive we have backed ourselves in to a corner. Which now leaves us having productive and economically viable farms or cleaner rivers and lakes, but not both.

Listen: 👉 www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
Nitrates derogation
Back in the early nineties all across the EU a rule was introduced to protect rivers and streams from agricultural run off. At the last count 7,000 out of 137,000 farms in Ireland had received a derog...
www.rte.ie
November 22, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Reposted by Fintan Kelly
[Forensic debunking by @andrewlrjackson.bsky.social of recent "abundance" nonsense from thw Collison Bros and their #junktank "Progess Ireland" (shamefully platformed and indulged by @irishtimes.com).]
November 22, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Reposted by Fintan Kelly
I’ve written something on John Collison’s Op-Ed and environmental democracy

Next time you’re out in Dublin, check if you’re being “socially de-risked” by a friendly face from his think-tank

elajucd.com/2025/11/21/o...
On Environmental Democracy and the Collisons’ “Abundance-Verse”
Andrew Jackson 21 November 2025 I. Introduction A clamour of praise greeted John Collison’s “how to get Ireland moving” Op-Ed following its publication in the Irish Times on 25th October: the Irish…
elajucd.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Andrew Jackson really cooked Collison here.
Hilarious that Collisons think tank Progress Ireland are asking “How will you avoid getting pigeonholed as right-wing tech bros?” - a question you should never ask publicly if you dont want to be labelled a right-wing tech bro
elajucd.com/2025/11/21/o...
On Environmental Democracy and the Collisons’ “Abundance-Verse”
Andrew Jackson 21 November 2025 I. Introduction A clamour of praise greeted John Collison’s “how to get Ireland moving” Op-Ed following its publication in the Irish Times on 25th October: the Irish…
elajucd.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Reposted by Fintan Kelly
Ireland once again in the dock, for issues that @antaisce.bsky.social & SWAN have long highlighted as being legally problematic.

Amongst other serious issues, this judgement highlights that the arterial drainage act is not compliant with the WFD.

Time to give that archaic legislation the boot!
November 21, 2025 at 5:25 PM
We are still paying for the 2008 financial crisis in Ireland which was caused in part by reckless regulatory oversight of bankers & developers.

Fast forward & Bertie Ahern nearly ran in the presidential election & we are being told we need to deregulate & cut taxes for developers. Dangerous times.
“Eoin Dorgan, asst sec at Dept of Public Expenditure Dorgan said Ireland needs to apply Tony Blair’s motto “tough on crime, tough on causes of crime” to the ongoing issue around legal objections”

..citizens ensuring that decisions are lawful are not criminals
www.businesspost.ie/politics/sen...
Senior official says public given too many opportunities to object to infrastructure plans
www.businesspost.ie
November 21, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Reposted by Fintan Kelly
“Eoin Dorgan, asst sec at Dept of Public Expenditure Dorgan said Ireland needs to apply Tony Blair’s motto “tough on crime, tough on causes of crime” to the ongoing issue around legal objections”

..citizens ensuring that decisions are lawful are not criminals
www.businesspost.ie/politics/sen...
Senior official says public given too many opportunities to object to infrastructure plans
www.businesspost.ie
November 21, 2025 at 8:08 AM
The DART is crumbling. Climate change and underinvestment are destroying a critical peice of transport infrastructure.
share.google/kOfMAf979N2D...
DART services delayed by up to 40 minutes after collapsed wall causes disruption
The debris has now been cleared. Dublin Bus is honouring all rail tickets.
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November 20, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Reposted by Fintan Kelly
According to the farming organisation, "the team were able to walk into over a dozen agri-stores in Brazil and buy any amount of antibiotics without showing any prescription, ID or herd number and were not asked any questions."
www.rte.ie/news/ireland...
IFJ probe 'undermines' EU-Mercosur trade deal, says IFA
The Irish Farmers' Association has said an investigation carried out by the Irish Farmers Journal in Brazil undermines arguments by the European Commission that the EU-Mercosur trade deal should be ap...
www.rte.ie
November 20, 2025 at 6:17 AM
Reposted by Fintan Kelly
INDIGENOUS RIGHTS NOW ✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿

On Monday 17 November, the Indigenous Peoples’ March brought Indigenous Peoples and activists into the streets of Belém to mark Indigenous Peoples’ Day at #COP30 and open the second week of the conference.

#IndigenousRights #RespectTheAmazon
November 18, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Coillte & Bord Na Móna can deliver Nature Restoartion at scale if they are mandated & empowered to do so

Coillte have delivered habitat restoration at Aghrane Bog SAC. Tree removal & drain blocking under an EU LIFE project has increased the area of active bog by 20% #PublicLand #NatureRestoration
November 18, 2025 at 6:31 PM
The last frontier of empathy: why we still struggle to see ourselves as animals.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
The last frontier of empathy: why we still struggle to see ourselves as animals | Megan Mayhew Bergman
Champions of exceptionalism say humans hold a unique moral status. Yet there’s only one species recklessly destroying the planet it needs to survive
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Reposted by Fintan Kelly
Thanks to #SaveLadysIslandLake — important conversation about nitrate pollution, special event with speaker An Taisce Head of Advocacy Dr Elaine McGoff

7pm Lady's Island Community Centre
Monday 17 November
All welcome

@saveladyislandlake.bsky.social
@elainemcgoff.bsky.social
#nitratepollution
November 17, 2025 at 11:11 AM
I get way too much satisfaction out of watching my Monstera produce new leaves.
November 16, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Reposted by Fintan Kelly
I'm writing today about the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority and why it is under attack by the fishing industry and certain politicians.

Not since the assault on the EPA in 2023 have we seen a public regulatory body come under such pressure.

www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/ou...
Objections to enforcement of vital sea fishing regulations are terribly misplaced
Complaints from the fishing industry come at time of multiple stresses for the sector and with greater levels of EU-wide control and monitoring of fishing activities beginning to come into force in 20...
www.irishexaminer.com
November 16, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Reposted by Fintan Kelly
Beautiful, sombre article from @miseanja.bsky.social about the epic migration of Atlantic Salmon - and the human pressures putting this all at risk.

"I wonder if 25 years from now ... will there be any wild salmon left to spawn in Irish rivers."

www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/ou...
Anja Murray: Epic migration of Atlantic salmon in jeopardy
Wild salmon can leap as high as three metres. Perhaps our ancient forbears were aware of the benefits of the rich fatty acids found in salmon flesh that can help our brains to function well, which wou...
www.irishexaminer.com
November 13, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Reposted by Fintan Kelly
Thousands hit streets of Belém to call for action during crucial Cop30 summit
Thousands hit streets of Belém to call for action during crucial Cop30 summit
‘Great People’s March’ follows two Indigenous-led protests earlier in the week
www.irishtimes.com
November 15, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Reposted by Fintan Kelly
Never forget: At breakneck speed we are leaving the stable Holocene climate in which human society developed and thrived. Weather extremes are outside historical experience. Sea-level rise is accelerating. Dangerous tipping points are ahead.
Graph: ed-hawkins.github.io/climate-visu...
November 13, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Reposted by Fintan Kelly
🔥Corporate sustainability laws altered beyond recognition at today’s @europarl.europa.eu #omnibus vote.

Conservatives sided with the far-right to dilute the #CSRD & #CSDDD in the name of ‘simplification’, at the expense of nature, people & long-term business success.

🔗 tinyurl.com/mn5tkrc9
November 13, 2025 at 11:47 AM