Dublin West Greens clean up Royal Canal

Discussing canal with Deirdre and Noel Spain of Royal Canal Amenity Group

Myself, Simon Herbert and Deirdre De Burca at Coolmine Station after the clean-up

19/04/09

Green Party Castleknock ward candidate Roderic O’Gorman and Mulhuddart ward candidate, Simon Herbert, have thanked Dublin 15 residents for their support of the Green Party clean up of the Royal Canal between the 12th Lock and Clonsilla Train Station. About 20 volunteers joined in the clean-up on Saturday afternoon, along with Dublin European Election candidate, Deirdre De Burca.

“We had about 20 volunteers out with us today, cleaning the Royal Canal all the way from the 12th Lock bar down to Clonsilla Station. We shifted about 15 sack loads of rubbish – mostly cans and bottles, along with various other items of waste, including at least one dead rat! It’s such a shame that a small minority of people treat the canal in this way. If I’m elected to Fingal County Council in June I intend to work to ensure that the canal and the surrounding area is developed in a way that allows more people to enjoy it”, stated Roderic O’Gorman.

The clean-up in Dublin 15 was part of a serious that the Green Party were organising along the Royal Canal. Local election candidates Gary Fitzgerald in Cabra-Glasnevin and David Geary in North Inner City also had teams working on their sections of the canal.

“As we worked our way along the bank, we met lots of people out walking and enjoying the fantastic day. All were really positive about the clean-up that the local Green Party organised, which was part of An Taisce’s National Spring Clean. We would like to thank Fingal County Council for arranging to pick up the rubbish from us at Coolmine Station”, stated Simon Herbert.

The Dublin West Green Party and local volunteers were joined in the clean-up by Dublin European Election candidate for the Green Party, Senator Deirdre De Burca.

“I really enjoyed getting involved in today’s clean-up. Like the rest of Dublin’s waterways, the Royal Canal is a real resource. It provides a green route all the way from Dublin City centre to the Shannon. It has real potential for tourism as well as being a fantastic leisure amenity for walkers and cyclists”, stated Deirdre De Burca.

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Further Information
Roderic O’Gorman: 087 417 9777
Simon Herbert: 086 381 8865
Deirdre De Burca: 086 806 1450

Take part in our Canal Clean-Up – Saturday 18th – 2 PM

Next Saturday (18th April) myself and Simon Herbert (Green candidate in Mulhuddart ward) are taking a break from campaigning to lead a clean up along the Royal Canal as part of National Spring Clean.

We are meeting in two groups – Simon’s group will be meeting at Clonsilla Station and my group will be meeting at Castleknock Train Station. We will be cleaning the area around the two stations, then we will be working along the bank of the Canal and meeting at Coolmine Station.

The clean-up kicks off at 2 PM. Do come and join us. The Royal Canal is a real resource for Dublin 15, but unfortunately it is often littered. Myself and Simon are inviting people from across Dublin 15 to help us give this stretch of the canal a good cleaning

Press Release – O’Gorman welcomes Get Ireland Growing campaign

05/04/09

Green Party Castleknock ward candidate, Roderic O’Gorman has welcomed the launch of the Get Ireland Growing campaign by the Green Party. The campaign is designed to encourage people to grow their own food, whether at home, in allotments, in community gardens or at school.

“With the Get Ireland Growing campaign, the Green Party is encouraging people to grow their own food. This can be done in local authority or private allotments, community and school gardens, along with encouraging people to grow food at home”, stated Roderic O’Gorman.

Press Release – New green-bin service represents a major improvements for Dublin 15 householders – O’Gorman

05/01/09

Green Party Castleknock ward candidate, Roderic O’Gorman has welcomed the announcement that Greyhound Recycling has taken over the green-bin recycling service on behalf of Fingal County Council and the other Dublin local authorities.

“I’m very pleased to see that Greyhound Recycling has been awarded the contract to operate green bins for Fingal County Council for the next three years. In particular, it’s great news that the new service will take all plastics within the green bin. Up to now, only certain plastic containers could be put into the green bin. From now on, all clear plastic will be able to go into the green bin”, stated Roderic O’Gorman.

“The fact that the green bin could only take a limited range of plastics was one of the main criticisms I have heard about the green bin system from residents of Dublin 15. I’m pleased that this issue is going to be resolved satisfactorily by Greyhound”.

“Another key issue that Greyhound will have to focus on is the overall customer service they provide. In the last six months, I have received numerous complaints from people dissatisfied with the collection service being run by Oxigen, the former operators. These complaints related mainly to green bins not being collected on the appropriate day, and problems with the call-back service. I hope that Greyhound will be more responsive to the needs of householders and I will be pursuing this issue with them if similar problems arise”, concluded Roderic O’Gorman.

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Further Information
Roderic O’Gorman: 087 4179777
www.greenbin.ie

Press Release – O’Gorman welcomes ban on the importation of dog and cat fur

30/12/08

Green Party Castleknock ward candidate, Roderic O’Gorman, has welcomed the EU wide ban on the importation and sale of dog and cat fur which came into effect on the 31st December, 2008.

“It isn’t widely known, but each year over 2 million domestic dogs and cats are killed in China and other Asian countries and their fur is used in the fashion industry – often as the lining or the trim for clothes that end up being sold in European shops. The methods of slaughter used are particularly barbaric, with the animals often being slowly strangled or bled to death in order to ensure that their fur is not damaged. The vast majority of Irish consumers would be appalled by these practices, but the items of clothes in which dog and cat fur are used are never marked as such. Indeed, sometimes dog or cat fur is labelled as being synthetic”, stated Roderic O’Gorman.

“In order to reassure consumers that they are not likely to mistakenly buy such products, the EU has introduced a ban on the import and sale of all dog and cat fur products within the 27 Member States. The regulation was originally passed in November 2007, but Member States were given just over a year to change their national laws to make the trade in these products illegal. In Ireland, the Minister for Agriculture enacted the ban into our domestic law by a statutory instrument which was passed in November”.

“I’m delighted that the EU has enacted this ban on dog and cat fur products and that the Irish Government has moved swiftly to guarantee the ban under Irish law. I remember seeing an undercover documentary made about the slaughter of dogs and cats for fur and it showed unbelievably cruel and barbaric means of killing these animals. I believe the vast majority of Irish consumers would never buy products if they knew they contained these products. As a result of this ban, Irish shoppers can be reassured that their clothes will not contain cat or dog fur”, concluded Roderic O’Gorman.

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Further Information
Roderic O’Gorman: 087 417 9777