Elaine McGoff
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elainemcgoff.bsky.social
Elaine McGoff
@elainemcgoff.bsky.social
PhD. Head of Advocacy for An Taisce. Water floats my boat. 🚲 powered. Views are my own.
Pinned
Lady's Island lake is the end result of decades of agricultural nitrogen water pollution.

The only way we can turn the agricultural nitrogen pollution problem around is if those in power admit that their measures aren't working.

It's time to actually listen to the evidence, not the spin.
SWAN member, @antaisce.bsky.social, had their Head of Advocacy @elainemcgoff.bsky.social on Primetime last night talking about the pollution crisis in Lady's Island Lake.

Watch the full piece here: 👇https://www.rte.ie/player/series/prime-time/SI0000000825?epguid=IH10008770-25-0050
Reposted by Elaine McGoff
It's no wonder water quality is not improving, derogation farmers are being told to do things that will not stop nitrates from getting into the water — An Taisce's Head of Advocacy Dr Elaine McGoff with Philip Boucher-Hayes on RTÉ Radio 1 CountryWide

#nitratepollution
@elainemcgoff.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Great to see some strong EPA enforcement against North Cork Creameries for continuing to breach their licence.

They're not allowed to discharge again until the EPA are satisfied they'll be compliant with their licence, which, given their track record, won't be easy

thecurrency.news/articles/208...
North Cork Creameries temporarily halts production after EPA wasterwater order - The Currency
North Cork Creameries has temporarily ceased production at its major dairy facility in Kanturk after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice to suspend all discharges from its wastew...
thecurrency.news
November 24, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Reposted by Elaine McGoff
Reposted by Elaine McGoff
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
I had the a welcome opportunity to move beyond the standard Punch & Judy media setup to properly look under the derogation hood, & explore why the Government measures are failing our waters & failing our farmers.

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 10:02 AM
Reposted by Elaine McGoff
We're constantly being told that pollution prevention measures are working and more time is needed to show results. But the rivers don't lie.

www.independent.ie/regionals/co...
Half of Cork farms inspected by Council failed water quality protection regulations
Half of the farms inspected by Cork County Council under the National Agriculture Inspection Programme (NAIP) this year have failed to comply with the government’s Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) reg...
www.independent.ie
November 22, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Reposted by Elaine McGoff
A ‘national embarrassment’: Ireland in breach of multiple water quality rules, court finds

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...
A ‘national embarrassment’: Ireland in breach of multiple water quality rules, court finds
European Court of Justice ruling raises questions about Government’s system of water charges
www.irishtimes.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Reposted by Elaine McGoff
🔖 Must read

“On Environmental Democracy & the Collisons’ “Abundance-Verse”

a fact-packed response by Dr Andrew Jackson, UCD ..to the fact-free claims of John Collison’s Irish Times essay #Planning #Housing #Speirgorm @ucddublin.bsky.social @andrewlrjackson.bsky.social

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 5:28 PM
Reposted by Elaine McGoff
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 Elaine McGoff
A ‘national embarrassment’: Ireland in breach of multiple water quality rules, court finds
A ‘national embarrassment’: Ireland in breach of multiple water quality rules, court finds
European Court of Justice ruling raises questions about Government’s system of water charges
www.irishtimes.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:02 PM
This is a fantastic deep dive rebuttal to this widely lauded John Collison Op Ed.

Recommended reading.
November 21, 2025 at 6:18 PM
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
The first really wintery swim of the season. Breathtaking but beautiful.
November 21, 2025 at 10:21 AM
“As President, I will use my role to foster awareness and inspire action... because tremendous work is being done ...by communities, scientists and activists working for change, and to build … on the real and close connection between Irish people & nature”

www.irishtimes.com/environment/...
Moral duty ‘to act now’ on climate change for future generations, President Connolly says
Figures of possible fines of between €8bn and €26bn for breaching emissions targets ‘incredible’, President says
www.irishtimes.com
November 19, 2025 at 4:54 PM
An absolute honour to be able to host An Uachtarán in Tailors Hall today for this incredible @antaisce.bsky.social event.
Labhair an tUachtarán Connolly tráthnóna inniu ag ócáid a d’eagraigh An Taisce dar teideal: “Léargas ar an athrú aeráide agus a thionchar ar ár leas”

This afternoon, President Catherine Connolly spoke at an event hosted by An Taisce: ‘Snapshots on climate change and its impacts on our welfare’
November 19, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Reposted by Elaine McGoff
Excellent letter in The Irish Times about proposed new restrictions on judicial review and access to justice…
November 19, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Reposted by Elaine McGoff
New day. New un-evidenced & easily disproved claim about #Planning & #housing
This is every day #7

“latest plan for 580 apartments rejected over fears for wellbeing of migratory light-bellied brent geese”

Truth: The site is playing fields, zoned for green space www.irishtimes.com/business/202...
Housing stuck at the bottom of planning priorities
Ireland may have a crisis in finding homes for its people but when it comes down to it, they are not as important as geese
www.irishtimes.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Reposted by Elaine McGoff
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
Reposted by Elaine McGoff
> Undermine judicial reviews
> Roll back planning regulations
> Claim it's to deliver housing
> Fast track a bunch of data centres
> AI bubble pops
> Left holding the bag
> Still no housing delivered

We all know this is how Ireland's new "housing plan" is gonna go right
November 17, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Reposted by Elaine McGoff
TODAY: Join us for an important conversation about nitrate pollution at Lady's Island Lake. @elainemcgoff.bsky.social from @antaisce.bsky.social will be outlining her expert view.

7pm Lady's Island Community Centre. All welcome!

#SaveLadysIslandLake
We are hosting a public meeting on November 17 at Lady’s Island Community Centre. @elainemcgoff.bsky.social from @antaisce.bsky.social will outline how the main measures proposed by the Department of Agriculture do not work for nitrogen pollution. Q&A after.

All welcome. Let’s #SaveLadysIslandLake
November 17, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Reposted by Elaine McGoff
Make your voice heard – join the @stopclimatechaos.bsky.social National Climate Demonstration in Dublin on Saturday Nov 15, starting at 1pm at the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square. March for climate justice as part of a worldwide day of action demanding an end the era of fossil fuels.
November 14, 2025 at 12:25 PM
5000km later on our family e-bike. In spite of the soggy weather today, I must admit the joy this bike gives me hasn't waned noticeably from this maiden voyage when we first got it 2 years ago.

This is your regular PSA to just take the leap if you're considering an ebike. You won't regret it.
November 14, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Reposted by Elaine McGoff
Never forget, car dependency is the opposite of freedom.

What’s more “free” than cars, you ask?

Choices.
November 14, 2025 at 3:36 AM
Reposted by Elaine McGoff
Have you heard of “The Populist Playbook?”

A few years ago, I posted what I still consider one of my most important messages.

It was about “The Populist Playbook” that I’ve watched play out often over my 33+ years of city planning.

Since then, it’s only gotten worse.

Do the steps sound familiar?
November 8, 2025 at 12:48 AM