Council Partners Environment News Tourism

Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark Business Sustainability Training Programme

By Ryan Harmon 8 December 2022

With a growing market of visitors looking for more sustainable options whilst travelling, the focus to provide sustainable tourism is becoming a key priority for many local businesses. Having successfully piloted a Business Sustainability Training Programme in 2020 with eight local businesses participating, Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark recently rolled out the

Business Environment News

RWE Acquires Irish Firm Western Power Offshore Developments

By Ryan Harmon 6 December 2022

German energy company RWE has acquired Irish firm Western Power Offshore Developments for an undisclosed sum. Western Power Offshore Developments is in the early stages of developing the East Celtic Wind Farm project, which is 10km offshore from Wexford and Waterford in Ireland. The East Celtic project will ‘significantly’ expand RWE’s offshore wind portfolio in the

Council Partners Environment News

Christmas Lights Lit By Pedal Power in Dún Laoghaire

By Ryan Harmon 5 December 2022

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council are putting the environment top of their Christmas list this year by making greener, eco-friendly choices with Christmas lights. Living Christmas trees and fairylike forest walks all aglow, generators fuelled by Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil, extra low voltage LED’s and Christmas tree lights lit by pedal power on the iconic bandstand on

Business Environment News

200 Businesses to Take Part in Free Commercial Fleet Trial for Electric Vehicles

By Ryan Harmon 2 December 2022

The Department of Transport and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) have announced the launch of a Commercial Fleet Trial. Businesses will be trialling a fully electric vehicle to see how they can work for their business to save money and emissions. Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, said, “two hundred businesses nationwide will have […]

Environment News

National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap 2023-2025

By Ryan Harmon 1 December 2022

The Government has published the National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap 2023-2025. Food waste is a global problem that has environmental, social and economic consequences. Growing, processing, transporting and storage of food all use a significant amount of resources. Tackling food waste is one of the key steps we can take to achieve sustainability, to help […]

Environment News Technology

Success of Electric ELVES Training Programme for the Safe Collection and Recycling of Electric Vehicle Batteries

By Ryan Harmon 30 November 2022

ELVES, Ireland’s End-of-Life Vehicle compliance scheme, has welcomed Minister Ossian Smyth, Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy to Plunket College, Dublin, to celebrate the success of the Electric ELVES training programme for Authorised Treatments Facilities, (ATFs or permitted scrapyards) who are involved in the

Council Partners Environment News

Galway City Businesses Pilot Returnable Coffee Cup System

By Ryan Harmon 29 November 2022

Galway City Council is partnering with 9 innovative businesses to pilot a ‘returnable coffee cup’ system in Galway. Up to 200 million single use coffee cups are thrown away every year in Ireland. This pilot makes it easier for customers to ‘borrow’ a fresh reusable cup for €1, which can be returned and refunded at […]

Culture Environment News

New €3M Creative Climate Action Fund Launched By Government

By Ryan Harmon 28 November 2022

Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin, and Minister for the Environment, Climate, Communications and Transport, Eamon Ryan, launched a €3 million creative climate action fund to support imaginative creative projects that build awareness around climate change and empower citizens to make meaningful behavioural changes.

Council Partners Environment News

Cork City’s Home Energy Upgrade Office Supports Homeowners

By Ryan Harmon 24 November 2022

Every year, a significant proportion of home energy is wasted in Cork. Whether heating a poorly insulated home, using energy-hungry appliances, or having an inefficient energy source, these factors are all contributing to households using more energy than needed. Instead, imagine if this energy was saved. The impact this could have on keeping money in […]

Environment News

Ireland Ranks Joint Lowest of 13 Countries on Readiness to Transition to Renewable Energy

By Ryan Harmon 24 November 2022

A new independent report from The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA) has ranked Ireland joint lowest of 13 European countries, on its readiness to make the transition to renewable energy.   The ‘Energy Transition Readiness Index 2022‘ sponsored by Irish-headquartered global power management company, Eaton, and global

Environment News

77% of Climate Action Plan Measures Delivered to Date

By Ryan Harmon 24 November 2022

Government departments and agencies have implemented 77% of all measures in the 2021 Climate Action Plan (CAP) to date, according to the latest progress report published. The Q3 Report details progress on the implementation of measures under the CAP 2021, including key emissions trends in each sector and high impact measures completed and delayed this quarter. A delivery

Council Partners Environment News

Energy Saving Booklet for Waterford Households

By Ryan Harmon 24 November 2022

Waterford City and County Council’s Climate Action Team has published an Energy Saving Booklet, developed in direct response to the ongoing global energy crisis which is adversely impacting households and businesses. Using a common-sense approach to energy saving, the booklet is intended to act as a baseline from which actions can be taken and built […]

Business Environment Housing News

The Future is Green: RetroKit is Helping Irish Councils Lead the Way in Energy Efficient Housing

By Ryan Harmon 21 November 2022

Cork based software company Retrokit is making waves in the environmental sector through its daring approach to making housing energy efficient. The award-winning company provides a strategic toolkit for local authorities and housing associations, assisting them in their retrofitting projects. This helps to optimise investment, meet climate targets, and reduce the carbon

Environment News

This Black Friday – Check the Energy Label and Save

By Ryan Harmon 18 November 2022

SEAI launched a new campaign to encourage consumers to check the energy label and save when buying new electrical products in the lead up to Black Friday. Electrical products can vary in their efficiency. Choosing efficient products will save you money on your electricity bills in the long-term. Tim Stokes, Programme Manager at SEAI, said, […]

Council Partners Environment News

Climate Action Signage To Be Rolled Out Around Mayo

By Ryan Harmon 15 November 2022

To coincide with COP 27, which is currently taking place in Egypt, Mayo County Council, in conjunction with the Climate Action Regional Office are rolling out Climate Action Signage around the county. The Climate Action Signage initiative aims to create awareness of the climate action and biodiversity measures being delivered across the county. Mayo County Council […]

Council Partners Environment News

Cork County Council & UCC Agree Coastal Erosion Project

By Ryan Harmon 14 November 2022

Cork County Council and MaREI, the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Research Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine at University College Cork (UCC) have agreed a pioneering project partnership that will see the entire coast of Cork assessed and mapped for coastal erosion. The three-and-a-half-year project will see the UCC researchers conduct a detailed review of […]

Business Environment News

Irish Businesses Largely Underprepared For Net Zero Transition

By Ryan Harmon 14 November 2022

Irish businesses are significantly underprepared when it comes to making the transformative changes required to achieve net zero, a sustainability report from University College Cork (UCC) commissioned by Microsoft Ireland has found. Just one in five businesses (19%) are yet to commence efforts to become more sustainable, while less than a tenth (9%) consider themselves

Environment News

Government Launches Be Winter Ready Information Campaign 2022-2023

By Ryan Harmon 11 November 2022

The government launched the ‘Be Winter-Ready’ 2022 -2023 Information Campaign. The campaign was jointly launched by Patrick O’Donovan, Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, and Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for International and Road Transport and Logistics, Hildegarde Naughton. Also present was

Business Environment News Technology

Office of Government Procurement Launches Online Search Tool to Support Green Public Procurement

By Ryan Harmon 9 November 2022

The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) led on the development of the GPP Criteria Search which is available at GPPCriteria.gov.ie. The online search tool allows users to rapidly find, select and download Green Public Procurement (GPP) criteria relevant to a specific procurement project. Welcoming the launch, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath,

Environment News

Government Agrees to Introduction of Obligation On Heat Sector By 2024

By Ryan Harmon 7 November 2022

The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, will introduce an obligation on the heat sector to include renewable heat by 2024. Ireland’s renewable energy share in the heat sector last year was 6.8%, compared to the European Union average of 22%. While progress is being made, with an increase of half a […]