Extending Our Forests

  • Extend and Protect Ireland’s Forests. People Before Profit advocates a massive afforestation programme, both as a measure to combat climate change and to increase biodiversity. Ireland has the third lowest level of forestry coverage in the EU with only 12 percent of its landmass compared to an EU average of 40 percent.
  • Commercial Forests and Coillte Amenities/Woodlands Retained in Public Ownership. We will campaign for the land assets, commercial forests and amenity woodlands of Coillte to be retained in public ownership. We will also seek a radical re-organisation of Coillte to empower workers and communities in managing and extending the forest cover and the potential to increase its sustainable harvesting and the biodiversity contained therein.
  • Protect Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas and Natural Heritage Areas where appropriate.

Publicly Owned and Controlled Waste Management Policy

  • Re-municipalisation of Waste Collective Services. We will seek the re-municipalisation of the waste collection and recycling industries. The privatisation of this essential industry has been a disaster for any hope of a coherent and safe waste management policy for the country. Unbridled competition between firms has produced a race to the bottom in standards in both the working conditions of those employed in the industry and of the management of society’s waste. The volume of dangerous and toxic waste is increasing and is an inevitable by-product of a system where production is geared only for profit with no thought to its consequences. We will plan for a rational waste management strategy that seeks to reduce the volume of waste that industry produces and make companies that produce it responsible for its safe disposal and recycling.