by badminme | Jun 25, 2021 | Members News, PPN News
Energy Matters Presentation from Gloria Callinan of CLDC
Clare PPN hosted a webinar on Sustainable Energy Opportunities for householders, small businesses and community groups on June 22nd 2021. This included a presentation from Gloria Callinan of Clare Local Development Company who is the Clare Community Energy Mentor for the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. The presentation contains very useful information on the supports and schemes available from SEAI and you can read it here: Opportunities for Clare Communities in Energy Transition
by badminme | Jun 24, 2021 | Current, Members News, PPN News
Clare PPN Newsletter June 2021
It’s mid-summer and our June newsletter is in the air.
Click here to see a PDF of the newsletter:
http://clareppn.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/newsletter-june-2021.pdf
by badminme | Jun 23, 2021 | Members News, PPN News
‘Our Rural Future’ Rural development policy and work programme
As requested by PPN’s over the last couple of weeks, the Department of Rural & Community Development in conjunction with in the Rural Strategy and Social Inclusion Unit, hosted a Webinar specifically for PPN’s on the recently launched “Our Rural Future – Rural Development Policy 2021 – 2025” by Minister Humphreys and the Government. It was attended by the Minister of State, Joe O’Brien, T.D. who answered questions on the policy. Gareth Makim of the rural strategy unit made the following presentation: Our Rural Future – PPN
Links to documents discussed:
‘Our Rural Future’ Rural Development Policy 2021-2025
‘Our Rural Future’ 2021 Work Programme
For queries on the policy you may contact the Rural Strategy Unit at ruralstrategy@drcd.gov.ie
by badminme | Jun 22, 2021 | Current, Members News, PPN News
Motion calling for global fracking ban passed unanimously by Clare County Council
Clare County Council has unanimously passed a motion calling on the Irish Government to propose a global ban on fracking at the United Nations General Assembly “on climate-mitigation, public-health, environmental-protection and human-rights grounds”.
The historic motion, part of a global initiative calling for a UN resolution to ban fracking, was proposed by Cllrs Pat Hayes, Cillian Murphy and Tony O’Brien at the Council meeting on Monday, June 21st.
Proposing the motion, Cllr Pat Hayes (FG) pointed out that Clare was the first local authority in Ireland to ban fracking, in 2012, which led to a national ban in 2017. He praised the “wonderful organisations here in Clare who have supported this ban, including Futureproof Clare, Fridays for Future Clare and Clare PPN,” and said the environment was the most important issue for the Council to have on its agenda.
Cllr Cillian Murphy (FF) said: “The longer fracking takes place, the greater the body of evidence that these activities are dangerous and include detrimental impacts on water, air, climate stability, public health, farming and human rights… We do not tolerate fracking here in Ireland. So it is only right and proper that Ireland introduce and lead co-sponsorship of a UN resolution to propose a global ban on fracking. To do otherwise would be entirely and utterly hypocritical.”
Susan Crawford (Green Party) said the Irish Centre for Human Rights has stated that fracking “impacts several rights, including the right to life, health, water, food, country … and the right to safe, clean and healthy environment.”
In April the Irish Centre for Human Rights and a group of Irish NGOs wrote to the Irish Government, arguing that Ireland was uniquely well-positioned to lead this effort. As well as being a member of the UN Security Council, Ireland became one of the first countries in the world to ban fracking in 2017, and in 2018 it became the first country in the world to introduce legislation to divest public funds from fossil fuels.
At Clare PPN’s last plenary meeting on May 11th, it was unanimously agreed that Clare PPN supported the call for a global ban on fracking at the UN.
The campaign for the Irish Government to bring this proposal to the UN is the subject of an international petition, to which all community groups and individuals can add their names. You can read all about the petition and sign it, at this link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfGfUdrM6ZnDdXBip2ilCUwBA2uwnIFz_VV1N9CHYX13xMWTA/viewform
by badminme | Jun 17, 2021 | Current, Members News, PPN News
Clare’s coming out! – webinar for LGBTQ+ people, their families & friends in Clare
Information event on July 7th to feature Mayo GAA star Fiona McHale and speakers from LGBTQ+ support organisations
An event to mark Pride Month in Clare will offer help to communities and organisations on how they can best support the inclusion of LGBTQ+ people. The webinar, on July 7th, will be of interest to LGBTQ+ people living in Clare, their families and friends and anyone who wants to support them.
The information event, hosted by Quare Clare and Clare Sports Partnership, will feature Mayo All-Star footballer Fiona McHale, who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Fiona is also a PhD researcher in Physical activity & Health at the University of Limerick.
Representatives of Belong To, GOSHH and LINC, three of the support and community organisations available to LGBTQ+ people and their families in Ireland, will also speak at the webinar.
The webinar will take place from 7:30pm on Wednesday, July 7th, and you can register to take part at this Eventbrite link:
https://clare-coming-out.eventbrite.ie
Bernie O’Gorman of Quare Clare said:
“An online survey we conducted in March highlighted an urgent need for supports and services for the LGBTQ+ community Clare. 80% of people who responded said they would like more connection with other LGBTQ+ people in the county.
“Over half of all respondents did not feel sufficiently connected and supported in their community, and it was clear from written responses that there is a big demand for a social outlet or LGBTQ+ group in Clare.”
Belong To is a national organisation that supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans young people in Ireland.
https://www.belongto.org/
GOSHH! (Gender, Orientation, Sexual Health and HIV) is based in Limerick but also works to support LGBTQ+ people in Clare.
https://goshh.ie/
LINC is based in Cork and advocates for Lesbian and Bisexual Women in Ireland.
https://www.linc.ie/about/
Quare Clare is a new group that has held online meetings and in May ran a very successful ‘Quare Quiz’ social event. Anyone from the LGBTQ+ community in Clare who would like to get involved in Quare Clare can email lgbtq.clare@gmail.com to find out more.
Quare Clare was established as the result of a short-term project run jointly by Clare Public Participation Network, Clare Women’s Network, Clare Local Development Company and Rape Crisis Midwest, and supported by The Department of Rural and Community Development and Clare County Council. For this Pride Month event, they are delighted to be joined by Clare Sports Partnership, who are also keen to publicly demonstrate their commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusivity.