Caroline O'Doherty

International legal expert ‘shocked’ at Ireland’s lack of commercial drone regulation Public meeting hears of residents’ concerns over noise, privacy and safety

International legal expert ‘shocked’ at Ireland’s lack of commercial drone regulation - meeting heard concerns regarding noise, privacy, safety & impact on wildlife

www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dubl...

Kerry town that banned disposable coffee cups sees project falter amid Government U-turn Two projects in Dublin, inspired by Killarney Coffee Cup Project, now in doubt

Award-winning Killarney Coffee Cup project was set up to get in ahead of the latte levy - but the latte levy isn't coming @voiceireland.bsky.social & Irish Business Against Litter express concern
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025...

Green Party to table Bill to regulate commercial drone deliveries amid rising concerns Roderic O’Gorman said clarity for commercial drone operators and local authorities was badly needed

Proposals from @rodericogorman.bsky.social on regulating commercial drone deliveries would clarify planning rules, set out priority uses & give councils powers to investigate noise
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025...

‘Enabling’ works on MetroLink could start in 2027, says Minister Darragh O’Brien says two consortiums have confirmed they will bid for the project

If you're thinking of challenging MetroLink, please think twice - Minister urges people unhappy with aspects of the project to consider the wider national implications if they take it to court
www.irishtimes.com/transport/20...

How Atlantic Hurricane Humberto becomes Ireland’s Storm Amy Remnants of United States weather system helps fuel first squall of the season

How Atlantic Hurricane Humberto becomes Ireland’s Storm Amy

www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025...

Agency investigating Blackwater fish kill says its powers ‘too weak’ to deter offenders Angling clubs say true extent of incident could be hundreds of thousands of dead fish

Agency investigating Blackwater fish kill says its powers ‘too weak’ to deter offenders

www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025...

Ireland unprepared for another Storm Éowyn as season of extreme weather looms Climate Change Advisory Council urges immediate actions to prepare for extreme weather events as storm season looms

Underfunded, poorly coordinated, badly prepared - how @ccacireland.bsky.social rates Ireland's capacity to cope with impacts of climate change
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025...

The tariffs the EU inflicts on itself: Extreme heat, floods, pollution and ill-health Bloc’s environment agency flags concerns over water stress, unhealthy soils and pollution

.....and the wider issues and implications across Europe
www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Ireland’s natural environment in ‘very poor’ condition, EU analysis finds European Environment Report - news (analysis piece to follow) Embargoed to Sunday night 11pm

We're working on a Water Action Plan, Nature Restoration Plan & Land Use Review. European Environment Agency report shows we need to work faster
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025...

‘Some big polluter is breathing sigh of relief’: Questions remain over Blackwater fish kill Inconclusive report must not be last word on devastating incident, say environmentalists

'Sinister, criminal or reckless' Too many questions remain over Blackwater fish kill - concerned groups say inconclusive final report must not be last word on it
www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Cause of fish kill on Blackwater river in Cork ‘has not been identified’ – report Multiple agencies involved in investigation into incident could not say what caused up to 42,000 fish kill in August

Cause of fish kill on Blackwater river in Cork remains a mystery, final report from multi-agency investigation says - but a full likely passed from the killer substance entering the water to the first tests for possible contamination sources
www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

The drivers of obesity that also come with climate impacts Thinking in a Climate Emergency: ultraprocessed foods are a leading cause of rising rates of obesity

www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

More than half of daily waste generated in Ireland burned or sent to landfill, EPA says We need more investment in recycling infrastructure and less municipal waste sent abroad

Another hardy annual from the EPA here. Ireland still generating more waste, still not managing it properly
www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Some 1,700 premature deaths attributed to poor air quality per year, says EPA Body warns current quality levels not good enough to comply with more stringent incoming standards

Ireland still struggling to raise air quality standards
www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

State awards 23 renewables projects electricity contracts Wind projects are in Mayo, Cork, Waterford, Wicklow and Tipperary, while solar projects clustered mainly in east, south-east and midland

Solar far outpaces wind in Ireland's latest auction for renewable energy contracts
www.irishtimes.com/business/202...

Energy regulator to investigate Energia for claiming price increases were sanctioned Centres have become controversial due to their use of over 20% of electricity generated in Ireland

Who's blaming what for electricity price rises? Soc Dem TD Jennifer Whitmore took issue with Energia's explanation. Energy regulator to investigate
www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Policy decision on future of data centres faces further delay Centres have become controversial due to their use of over 20% of electricity generated in Ireland

The CRU seems to be managing expectations around when the new data centre policy will be published

www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Unusually high night-time temperatures pushed Ireland’s summer to record high Unusually high night-time temperatures saw June, July and August into the record books

Spring drought, marine heatwaves, European heat domes - all combined to turn a run of the mill Irish summer into one with record breaking temperatures. Analysis by @clairebergin.bsky.social @maynoothuniversity.ie & Met Éireann
www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Ireland among EU states with fewest protections against cancer-linked ‘forever chemicals’ Human-made substances are used in manufacturing and survive indefinitely in the environment

Protections against 'forever chemicals' (PFAS) are patchy across the EU with Ireland among the states that need to do much more, says @healthandenv.bsky.social

www.irishtimes.com/health/2025/...

Personal announcement: after six great years as Environment Correspondent at the Irish Independent, I have a new job. I'm now Climate and Science Correspondent at the @irishtimes.com

Scientists are urging a rethink of Ireland's proposed next carbon budget [plan for emissions cuts], warning it goes too easy on the country & won't comply with national law or international agreements
m.independent.ie/irish-news/s...

The Dáil is back & there's lots of work on climate & environment to be done - for those doing it, monitoring it or trying to better understand it, @thinkorswim.bsky.social's Lie of the Land is an excellent read
m.independent.ie/entertainmen...

Mapping to decide best sites for offshore windfarms begins Work is beginning on drawing a map of Ireland’s waters that pinpoints the areas best suited to new offshore windfarms.

Work begins on finding the places in Ireland's waters best suited to offshore wind farms - a series of public & stakeholder consultations to get underway early next year
www.independent.ie/irish-news/m...

Delight as corncrake inches back from brink of extinction in Ireland Wildlife agencies are celebrating an increase in corncrake numbers although the embattled bird remains critically endangered.

The numbers are small but the hopes attached to them are big - joint effort of farmers, wildlife agencies & EU funding results in 20pc increase in corncrake population
www.independent.ie/irish-news/d...

Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman calls for curbs on social media firms amid fears of growing political violence Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman has said he fears political violence is nearing a tipping point where a politician in Ireland could be seriously hurt.

As @greenpartyie.bsky.social meets, leader @rodericogorman.bsky.social talks political violence, rebuilding the party, the 'do-nothing' government & how its 'raid' on the Climate & Nature Fund will hurt farmers, schools & small businesses
www.independent.ie/irish-news/p...

Pizza, paperwork and positivity – an energy lecturer’s real-life lessons on taking his home from G to A-rated Inside the four walls of the lecture theatre, Dr Paul Deane is an expert, deftly explaining the intricacies of energy systems and how to green them.

Renovating & retrofitting an old house taught energy expert Dr Paul Deane of @ucc.ie a few lessons & like any good educator, he decided to share what he learned
www.independent.ie/irish-news/p...

Government advisers urge more support for heat pumps and solar panels to boost home retrofits Efforts to make Irish homes greener and more energy efficient are falling far behind target, a government advis­ory body has warned.

Home retrofits, solar panels & heat pump installation are not moving fast enough, says @ccacireland.bsky.social
The council has looked abroad at what other countries are doing to support homeowners to take the leap
www.independent.ie/irish-news/g...

Met Éireann declares ‘unexceptional’ summer Ireland’s warmest on record Ireland has had its warmest summer on record, Met Éireann has confirmed, making the last six months the warmest ever recorded in the country.

There wasn't endless sunshine & just a few scorching hot days yet Ireland had its warmest summer on record. The baseline heat in our system keeps rising #climate
www.independent.ie/irish-news/m...

Caroline O’Doherty: When it comes to our bins, we’re focusing on the wrong stuff While waste companies were working to put out public relations fires over bin lorry cameras this week, a real-life blaze was burning at a waste disposal facility in north Dublin.

...and why worrying if people see what's in your waste is missing the point
www.independent.ie/opinion/comm...

Second company set to deploy cameras to check if customers are putting waste in correct bins A second company is to deploy cameras in their bin lorries to check if people are putting their waste in the correct bins.

Bin lorry cameras are set to become widespread
www.independent.ie/irish-news/s...