Press Releases

Archived Press Releases:

 May 12 ,2007
ELECTION 2007: How clean is Donegal’s water, and other pertinent political questions…?

 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 02 ,2004
COULTER CALLS FOR POLITICAL CHANGE IN DONEGAL

 December 15 ,2003
PORTSALON SALMON-FARMING LICENCE REFUSED BY ALAB

 November 05 ,2003
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY FEDERATION OF IRISH SALMON AND SEA TROUT ANGLERS, FRIENDS OF CLEW BAY AND SAVE THE SWILLY

 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"

 June 21 ,2003
ANOTHER DISASTER IN INVER BAY - INQUIRY ESSENTIAL

 February 08 ,2003
SAVE THE SWILLY MEETS INISHOWEN POLITICIANS

 February 03 ,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

 October 01 ,2002
Press Releases Save The Swilly 1 October 2002 PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS INTEGRATED COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

 September 25 ,2002
SAVE THE SWILLY WELCOMES EU STRATEGY ON COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

 August 12 ,2002
'Lough Swilly ICZM Report'

 August 02 ,2002
QUESTIONS OVER DECOMPOSING SALMON IN INVER BAY

 June 03 ,2002
NO ROOM FOR TRADITION IN LOUGH SWILLY

 May 03 ,2002
Save The Swilly opts for "Swilly First"

 May 03 ,2002
Save The Swilly/Green Party candidate withdraws

 May 01 ,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 01 ,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 09 ,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
An open letter to the people on the shores of Lough Swilly:

 January 16 ,2001
Delegation meets Minister Hugh Byrne

 January 09 ,2001
Save The Swilly (from looking like Mulroy Bay)

SAVE THE SWILLY - June 02 ,2004

COULTER CALLS FOR POLITICAL CHANGE IN DONEGAL

Phil Coulter, Save The Swilly's Ambassador-At-Large, has called on voters in Donegal and the North West to bring about a change of attitude in the region during the forthcoming council and European elections.

We need to think laterally, and support good candidates who will bring about the necessary change," Coulter said.

Phil Coulter said candidates such as the Green Party's Peter Doran in Inishowen and Neil Clarke in Letterkenny, and Sinn Fein European Parliament candidate Pearse Doherty all represented a good alternative to the status quo.

Dr Peter Doran has considerable experience in environmental issues at local and central government level, and considered standing as a candidate representing a range of environmental groups, including Save The Swilly, during the 2002 General Election. He has immense credibility in the environmental movement. Neil Clarke, Green Party candidate in the Letterkenny Town Council and Donegal County Council elections, has been a bold and outspoken champion of the River Swilly.

"The parties traditionally holding power in the North West have run out of ideas, not least on the environment. They seem unable to confront the people who are intent on destroying everything around them in the interests of development. I think it's time for change. We deserve better," said Phil Coulter.

"What is so difficult to understand about the need to take account of all stakeholders in managing a resource as valuable, as delicate and as close to our hearts as Lough Swilly?" Coulter asked. "Development is taking place in an ad hoc way, with no evidence of an overall plan or of any real understanding of the needs of various groups."

Reiterating the call he made at the time of the General Election, Coulter said "The message to this government, and indeed to the next government, is that Lough Swilly, its environs and its people are precious - we must not tolerate any further abuse." Looking ahead to the local and European elections Coulter said: "To be elected by your fellow citizens to serve them in public office is the ultimate recognition. We need to demand far more of our elected politicians than we have demanded up to now."

He said it was time the entrenched interests in the County Council were given a wake-up call. "Independent candidates can do this, and I believe we should also give a boost to the Green Party, which is unapologetic about its commitment to the environment, and to genuinely sustainable development."

Citing continuing damage to the indigenous oyster beds in Lough Swilly and the River Swilly through indiscriminate and illegal mussel dredging, Coulter said it was yet another example of the current administration's failure to comply with its own laws. "We have had a Minister in this Government promising the Dail to stop the destruction of the oyster beds in Lough Swilly, but nothing has happened.

"The fishermen of Inch, seeking long-overdue Council or central government investment in a community-led initiative to upgrade the Inch Pier, have had minimal political support. We must not stand back and allow these and other travesties of the democratic process to continue."

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