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New plan for 2012-2016 and the Kilkenny Central Access Scheme

Happy New Year to all our members and followers,

Launch of the new Strategic Plan on 11 Dec 2011

The launch of the new strategic plan took place on 11 Dec 2011

Some of you might be aware of the new strategic plan starting right now for 2012.

Here’s the link to the new Green Party Strategic Plan 2012-16 if you haven’t had a chance to read it yet.

For more local news, Cllr. Malcolm Noonan  released this statement in December: Central Access Scheme in Kilkenny will destroy the City’s Medieval Core

Reminder: Support the homeless (tonight) on Wed 21 Dec in Carlow

Mary White will be seeking to raises awareness and support for the Homeless in Carlow/Kilkenny on Wednesday 21st Dec 2011.

From  8pm till the following morning at 8am Mary will be sleeping out as last year.

Mary is asking for members and friends to drop by  during the night for support on this issue. She will be in Shaw’s doorway on Tullow street, Carlow.

More on Ireland’s homeless here

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Support the homeless on Wed 21 Dec in Carlow

Mary White will be seeking to raises awareness and support for the Homeless in Carlow/Kilkenny on Wednesday 21st Dec 2011.

From  8pm till the following morning at 8am Mary will be sleeping out as last year.

Mary is asking for members and friends to drop by  during the night for support on this issue. She will be in Shaw’s doorway on Tullow street, Carlow.

More on Ireland’s homeless here

Please feel free to forward this email to others who maybe interested or share on your networks

Dept of Environment should clarify position on Plastic Bag Levy

On the launch of the strageic plan for the Green Party last Sunday, new spokespersons were assigned for different policy areas. Congratulations to local Carlow Kilkenny members Cllr Malcolm Noonan on speaking on our behalf on Environment, Community and Local Government and to Rian Coulter for his new role as spokesperson for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

First press release from Malcolm Noonan below

Following the ruling of Justice John Hedigan in the High Court today in relation to Dunnes Stores challenging the interpretation of the Plastic Bag Levy, Green Party Environment Spokesperson, Cllr Malcolm Noonan has called on the Minister for the Environment and his Department to clarify the position on the levy as it would appear that there is widespread flouting of the legislation in shops and supermarkets around the country. The Green Party contends that this potentially represents significant uncollected revenue for the Environment Fund, the fund established for Community Waste Reduction and Agenda 21 initiatives. 

 
Dunnes challenged ambiguity within the regulations in order to attempt to avoid paying €36.5m in charges due to Revenue and ultimately the Environment Fund. Cllr Noonan said that the ruling by Justice Hedigan could have widespread implications for the retailing sector and that a possible solution could lie in amendments to the legislation that would not see the levy imposed on non point of sale bags that were biodegradable. 
 
‘While welcoming any judgement that leads to a reduction of plastics and toxins in the environment, I do think that clarification is required and that the legislation was heralded worldwide as a progressive and an unusually popular tax, to the point that other Countries are replicating it. However if the industry were to begin to design out plastic at least for non point of sale use, then we would further progress this legislation to reflect the High Court ruling’ he said. 
 
‘There are many vegetable and plant based alternatives to oil based plastics and many of them perform just as well, only that they are biodegradable and can be inserted directly into organic ‘Brown Bin’ kerbside collections when the service is rolled out nationwide. What is required now is a life-cycle approach to waste and in particular packaging waste and the Minister has an opportunity to do this under current reviews of National Waste Legislation, it can only be of benefit to both consumers and the environment’ concluded Cllr Noonan.
 
Cllr Malcolm Noonan
 
Green Party Spokesperson
 
Environment, Community and Local Government
 
086 839 9418
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Fantastic concert to celebrate 30th year of Green Party and new strategy launched

Local Carlow Kilkenny Green members and friends enjoyed a fabulous concert last Sunday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Green Party.

Great pic from 30th bash in Vicars St last night. Thank you to all the wonderful musicians, organisers, we hope everyone had a great night!

It was also the launch of The Green Party Strategic Plan 2012-16 and new greenparty.ie national website

For 30 years the Green Party has worked towards a fairer, sustainable future for the island of Ireland and the global community.

The Green Party strategic plan sets how we will develop our organisation over the next five years. Its aim is to allow a new generation take up an active role in political life and through that work improve the quality of life of all our people.

All Green Party policy is currently being reviewed although the first new policy to be adopted by the National Council on the 30th year celebrations, was the new all Ireland Forestry policy, presented by local Carlow Kilkenny member Cathy Fitzgerald (it is also the last few weeks of the international year of the forest so this policy is well timed in its efforts to set out practical steps for a new vision ecologically and economically sustainable and biodiverse forests for Ireland). New policy will be available on the national site in coming weeks.

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Happy Birthday to us!! The Green Party Celebrates 30 years in Ireland

Please note: the Carlow Kilkenny Green Party is organising a bus from Carlow to this event. Contact Mary Reddy if interested in going on the bus ph 087 6333 123

 

Dear fellow Greens,

On the afternoon of 11th December we launch our Four Year Strategy  in the Central Hotel where it all began 30 years ago.  

This will  reveal  our practical approach to rebuilding the Party, and  looking to the future.  After a good days work the party begins…

From 7pm we celebrate our 30th birthday at Vicar St. The night will be packed with music, fun and a sense of what is  great about Ireland.

Artists performing on the night include our very own Steve Wickham (from the Waterboys) with his band No Crows, Dónal Lunny with Maighréad and Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill, Martin Hayes, Nick Kelly (The Fat Lady Sings) Ciaran Tourish  (Altan) and Eleanor McEvoy. Two up and coming young bands will also perform, Heritage Centre and the Lost Brothers.  And we will have some other guests on stage also.

The night is being MCd by broadcaster and musician, the wonderful Eamon Keane. 


I hope you can come along to celebrate  together and help us raise much needed funds.  Bring your friends - make it your Christmas night out together.  

I look forward to seeing you  there.  Let’s fill the venue and raise the roof. 

Details and tickets available from  http://30yearsagrowing.wordpress.com/  or the Green Party office.  Tickets €28 or contact Alison on 01 6790012.  

 See you there

 Eamon Ryan

Welcome to the new Carlow Kilkenny site

we are green

At the recent AGM a new website was proposed by former Cllr. Alan Price for Carlow Kilkenny members and for others interested in finding out more about the local Carlow Kilkenny Green Party.

Contributions in the form of short articles are welcome for this site. If you have an local issue you wish to comment on we would love to hear from you.

Articles may include items on social justice, environment, local planning, general local interest items that would be of interest to our members and followers etc. Your views are welcome.

Please contact Alan Price, Communication Officer at alandesprice@gmail.com