Radical plans by the European Commission to cut carbon emissions are creating the first serious policy rift between Fianna Fail and the Green Party. The far-reaching plans emerge as efforts to combat climate change come into conflict with business and economic interests.
IRELAND'S 40 shades of green does not include the all-important "eco-green" and that is severely tarnishing its reputation with tourists according to travel bible, the Lonely Planet.
After 200 days of research by seven contributors including the main author, Fionn Davenport, the latest edition on Ireland, released yesterday, provides the usual mix of reviews, some complimentary others critical, of Ireland's main tourist hotspots.
Yet again Bundoran, Co Donegal, comes in for criticism. In 2006, the guide described it as "a kitsch assortment of half-baked fairground rides, flashing arcades, fast-food diners and overpriced B&Bs".
Since the announcement last September by the Minister for the Environment of substantial improvements to be made under Part L of the Building Regulations, speculation has been rife in the construction industry about what the details of the updated regulations would entail. Jeff Colley examines some of the key parts of a regulatory improvement that will help the Irish construction industry to modernise and meet the demands of a rapidly changing world.
Patrick Daly, co-founder of the RiSE (Research in Sustainable Environments) research unit in the DIT has undertaken an in depth study and critique of the current Irish Part L for energy efficiency in dwellings, comparing it in detail to the UK equivalent. The findings raise challenging questions about the Irish standards and methodology and highlight serious shortcomings in comparison to our UK neighbours, permitting substantially higher levels of CO2 emissions from new homes in Ireland than in the UK.
PEOPLE in the picturesque village of Sneem, where Taoiseach Bertie Ahern holidays, are kicking up a stink over a foul smell believed to be coming from the local sewage system.