Save The Swilly 3 May 2002

Save The Swilly opts for "Swilly First"

Following the withdrawal of the joint Save The Swilly/Green Party candidate for the Dail elections in Donegal North East the group has decided to give its full backing to Jackie McNair, the Labour Party candidate. This endorsement was conveyed to Jackie McNair and the Labour Party during a meeting in Buncrana today (Friday).

Mr Ruari Quinn, Labour Party Leader, who met Save The Swilly as well as commercial fishermen and environmental groups from both sides of the lough, gave an undertaking that the Labour Party would stand over its manifesto undertaking with respect to Lough Swilly.

Save The Swilly's ambassador-at-large Phil Coulter, who spoke at the meeting, said Mr Quinn had given him his personal assurance that the Lough Swilly issue would be on the Labour Party's agenda regardless of the outcome of the election. In a brief address to the gathering on the banks of the Crana River, Coulter said he had two questions to ask of people who believed the environmental damage to Lough Swilly was equivalent to breaking eggs to make an omelette. "Who decides which eggs are to be broken, and who gets to eat the omelette?"

Commercial fishermen at the meeting described for Mr Quinn the obstacles they faced in trying to get the pier at Inch Island upgraded, a project that is long overdue. Representatives from the Lough Swilly Wild Oyster Development Association were given an undertaking by the Labour leader that the licensing of mussel farms over wild oyster beds would be investigated.

Phil Coulter, alluding to his own potential candidacy and to the range of political options considered by Save The Swilly, said the group's only objective was to achieve its aim of stopping further aquaculture licensing until a comprehensive scientific study had been completed. "Our campaign, which we are naming Swilly First, will proceed as planned, but instead of our own, single-issue candidate who has had to withdraw, we are recommending that our supporters vote for Jackie McNair, who has supported Save The Swilly from its inception."

SAVE THE SWILLY contacts:

Email: info@loughswilly.com
Phone: Tony Morrison (353) 07493-63733
Phone: John Mulcahy (353) 07491-59113; (353) 086-2808636
Address: c/o Buncrana Anglers Association,
Castle Lane, Buncrana, Co. Donegal
Website: www.loughswilly.com

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Archived Press Releases:

September 25, 2006
Oyster crisis exposes "shambles" in management of Swilly

July 11, 2005
Attempt to double salmon-farming output in Lough Swilly

August 23, 2004
Which part of "No" don't they understand?

June 2, 2004
Coulter calls for political change in Donegal

December 15, 2003
Portsalon salmon-farming licence refused by ALAB

November 05, 2003
Sea Trout and Wild Salmon have been Victims of 'Ethnic Cleansing' - FISSTA

September 24, 2003
Prime Time Exposes Aquaculture's Shortcomings

July 24, 2003
Save the Swilly Calls for Farmed Salmon Mortality Monitor

July 21, 2003
Another Disaster in Inver Bay - Inquiry Essential

July 17, 2003
Rural Development Towards Sustainability

February 8, 2003
Save the Swilly Meets Inishowen Politicians

February 3, 2003
Blue Flag Beach Threatened by 80-Acre Fish Farm

January 29, 2003
Save the Swilly 10,000-Signature Petition Accepted by Europe

January 28, 2003
New Alliance Formed in Swilly

December 16, 2002
"Stop Ripping Up the Swilly" Indigenous People Demand

December 13, 2002
Lough Swilly's Indigenous Fishermen Speak Out

October1, 2002
Public Meeting to Discuss Integrated Coastal Zone Management

September 25, 2002
Save the Swilly Welcomes the Strategy on Coastal Zone Mangement

August 12, 2002
Integrated Coastal Zone Management Proposal Launched

August 2, 2002
Questions over decomposing salmon in Inver Bay

June 3, 2002
No Room for Tradition in Lough Swilly

May 3, 2002
Save the Swilly opts for "Swilly First"

May 3, 2002
Save the Swilly/Green Party candidate withdraws

May 1, 2002
Save the Swilly/Green Party candidate to contest Donegal North-East

April 18, 2002
Coulter to be "Ambassador at Large" for Save the Swilly

March 25, 2002
Save The Swilly presents 10,000-signature petition to EU

March 12, 2002
Study of Lough Swilly launched

November 30, 2001 STS letter to Hugh Byrne, Minister for State for the Department of the Marine

November 27, 2001 ICZM and OSPAR - not Clams - for Swilly

October 17, 2001 Salmon farm wants still more licences inshore

September 17, 2001 Save the Swilly meets Labour Party

September 13, 2001 Save the Swilly meets Minister of State Byrne

September 1, 2001 Save the Swilly begins fundraising drive

August 28, 2001 Save the Swilly welcomes I.F.A. initiative

May 15, 2001 Expansion of salmon farming tragic for Swilly

April 9, 2001 Mussel barrels adrift in Lough Swilly

March 22, 2001 Save the Swilly presents petition

March 13, 2001 Save the Swilly questions Minister Byrne

March 11, 2001 Save the Swilly reaffirms call for moratorium

February 20, 2001 Launch of Save the Swilly website

January 24, 2001

January 16, 2001 Delegation meets Minister Hugh Byrne

January 9, 2001 Save The Swilly
(from looking like Mulroy Bay)