A message from Cork Free Choice Consumer Group:
Andrew Legge will show his film ‘Fowl‘ and discuss the breeding and feeding of chickens.
Also Gerald McSweeney will talk about his aid work in Ethiopia. All proceeds will go to his project!
At the Crawford Art Gallery Cafe, on Thursday 25th October at 7.30pm.
Admission €6 including tea & coffee.
A message from Cork Alliance Against War:
Venue: Metropole Hotel, McCurtain St, Cork.
Date & Time: Wednesday October 17th 8PM
Speakers: Richard Boyd Barrett of Dun Laoire branch People Before Profit Alliance & Maura Harrington of Shell to Sea Campaign.
You are cordially invited to a public meeting organised jointly by Cork Alliance Against War and The People Before Profit Alliance with a view to the formation of a Cork branch of People Before Profit.
As anti-war activists we believe that lessons need to be learned from the recent general election results. It was clear that whatever their minor differences with the government, no party in opposition was willing to oppose the policies of neo-liberalism.
One of the highlights of the last election was People Before Profit Alliance candidate Richard Boyd Barrett, who polled over 5,000 first preference votes. The Dun Laoire People Before Profit group campaigned on a range of local issues such as the retention of Dun Laoire sea baths, bin charges, the war in Iraq. We believe this points the way forward, and indeed People Before Profit Alliance has expanded their platform to a seven-point platform, including anti-incineration and anti-privatisation and opposition to the sell-off of Ireland’s resources to the above mentioned campaign.
We believe the time is ripe for such an alliance which builds on the unity of progressive movements which have been to the forefront in resisting the drive for privatisation, incineration, Ireland’s involvement in illegal and immoral wars, the sell-off of our country’s natural resources etc., In short, the fruits of the economic neo-liberalism of successive governments.
We feel these groups are more likely to achieve their objectives through unity. While allowing each to also continue to campaign on their own local issues, there is a concurrent need for a strong united alliance of these groups. As well as focusing on campaigns on the ground this would also provide an electoral basis with which to challenge the status quo at local and national elections. The existence of such an alliance also has the capacity to attract many people new to political activity.
Since the elections, People Before Profit Alliance has now established branches around the country, including several branches in Dublin, and one in Tralee, Galway, Waterford, Bray, Mayo, and also in Belfast and Derry.
Cork Alliance Against War
Cork Alliance Against War is the Cork affiliate of the Irish Anti War Movement www.corkagainstwar.org
The Kinsale Fair-trade Committee are delighted to announce that KINSALE HAS WON BEST FAIR-TRADE TOWN AWARD in Ireland at a special ceremony in Dublin castle over the weekend!
Over 23 fair-trade town and cities were for the award. The award was presented on the day by minister Mr. Michael Kitt, Minister for Overseas Aid and Development, to Kinsale Fairtrade Committee members, Padraig Fitzgerald and Alan Clayton.
As a result of our committee work over 25 outlets now sell a fair-trade product in kinsale! Thus ensuring that the people of the developing world receive a fair price for what they produce, much of the money they receive is used to provide clean water, building of schools, community projects, etc.
The Kinsale Fairtrade Committee would like to thank the people, businesses, schools, restaurants, hotels, churches, shops of Kinsale for supporting fair-trade in Kinsale!
The Kinsale Peace Project present an evening with Mr. Richard Poole, Trocaires regional representative for Rwanda, Burundi and the Republic of Congo, and author of “The Inca Smiled”, “The Camel Strayed” and “The Day of the Dragon” based on his experiences as an aid worker in Ecuador, Sudan and West Africa.
Time: October 11th 2007 at 7.30pm
Venue: The Friary Centre, Carmelite Friary, Kinsale, Co. Cork
Admission free, fairtrade refreshments will be served!
All are welcome!
Minister for Food and Horticulture backs move
Top chefs and restaurants welcome recipe to protect food quality and traditions
The City of Cork is now a GMO-free zone, following a motion by Cork City Council on Monday which declares the area off-limits to the release of genetically modified seeds and crops. The decision follows similar motions adopted by Bantry and Clonakilty last year.
The Minister of State for Food and Horticulture, Trevor Sargent, said the move will help to protect the economic interest of Ireland’s food and farming future as a clean green GM-free food island.
The City Council’s decision was hailed by leading chefs and restaurateurs. “This is fantastic for Cork City”, said Darina Allen, of Ballyamaloe Cookery School and Slow Food Ireland, adding “Let’s follow-up by declaring the whole of Co. Cork as a GM-free zone”.
Seamus O’Connell, presenter of the Soul Food TV programme, head chef at the Parknasilla Hotel, and owner of Cork’s famed Ivory Tower restaurant, said “I am proud that the city in which I live and work has stood up to the agribusiness gombeens. It would make our children and grandchildren even prouder if Ireland as an island could have the vision to follow suit, create a haven for pure GM-free seeds and produce, and lead the way in research and management of the same”.
Giana Ferguson of Slow Food Ireland, which protects and promotes local GM-free food and gastronomic traditions, also backed the decision. After hearing the news at her Gubeen Farm in Schull (famed for its organic cheese and vegetables and GM-free charcuterie), she said “We are delighted and proud of Cork City Council for taking this vital step to protect the future of Cork’s artisanal food producers”. Jaques and Eithne Barry of Jacques Restaurant said: “We are extremely pleased at this good news. Let’s hope it helps us all to realise that Slow Food is better than fast food!”
Friends of the Irish Environment co-ordinator Tony Lowes, who is based in Alihies on the Beara Peninsula, welcomed the move as a step forward. He said “GM seeds or crops would contaminate Ireland’s ecosystem in perpetuity. Cork City’s protective measure should be extended as soon as possible to the whole of County Cork, in order to protect its unique biodiversity and National Parks.”
The motion was tabled by Green Party Councillor Chris O’Leary, who said “this decision sends a strong message of support for Cork’s food producers, food processors, restaurants and hotels, and will help position this whole area as an eco-tourism destination.”
GM-free Ireland co-ordinator Michael O’Callaghan congratulated the City Council, and urged all Town and County Councils to declare themselves as GM-free zones without delay, to support the Government’s policy goal to declare the whole island of Ireland as a GMO-free zone, in collaboration with the Northern Ireland Assembly.
GM crops are totally or partially banned by nine Governments, along with 236 Regional Governments, Local Authorities, and 4,500 smaller areas across 22 EU member states, plus Switzerland. GMO-free zones on this island of Ireland so far include Counties Cavan, Clare, Fermanagh, Kildare, Kerry, Meath, Roscommon, Monaghan, and Westmeath, the District of Newry & Mourne in counties Armagh and Down, and the towns of Bantry, Bray, Clonakilty, Cork City, Derry, Galway City, Letterkenny, and Navan, along with 1,000 smaller areas, representing over 1 million citizens on both sides of the border.
The WTO and the European Commission claim that national and regional blanket bans on GM crops are illegal. But an EU-wide campaign is underway for the European Commission to recognise the democratic legal right of member states and local authorities to have the final say in whether GM seeds and crops may be released in their areas.
[ENDS]
Related links:
GM-free Ireland Network: http://www.gmfreeireland.org
Map of GM-free zones in Ireland: http://www.gmfreeireland.org/map
Map of GM-free zones in Europe: http://www.gmofree-europe.org
Contact:
Michael O’Callaghan
GM-free Ireland Network
Tel + 353 (0)404 43885
mobile: + 353 (0)87 799 4761
email: mail@gmfreeireland.org
web: http://www.gmfreeireland.org