Protecting cultural heritage, clean water & biodiversity.
What’s Next?
On April 27, 2022 Meath County Council approved the building of a 7.2 km pipeline for the purpose of discharging treated wastewater into the Boyne River at the rate of 400,000 litres per day.
Save the Boyne has launched an official GoFundMe campaign in order to prepare and submit an appeal to An Bord Pleanála before May 25th.
Please give and share - help us meet our goal! Stay in touch on Facebook, contact local and national representatives - write, post, tweet get the message out - and make it clear:
#savetheboyne
Walk the Talk Meet Up May 5th
The walk Drogheda -Navan
9am start - Dominique's park, Ramparts Drogheda
Bru na Boinne - 11-11.30am
Slane - 1.30pm - bring a picnic lunch
Stackallen - 4.30pm
Navan - 6.30pm.
“The Boyne is not for profit. This is our river. It does not belong to profits or industry, it belongs to us, our children and the people of Ireland.”
— Tommy Martin, Save the Boyne
What do we know?
The EPA Current Assessment Scorecard for Water: “Overall, current assessment is poor. Trends are mixed with serious declines in pristine river sites. Just over 50% of surface water is in a satisfactory ecological condition. This means that almost half fails to meet the legal requirements of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). There have been deteriorating water quality trends over the past 20 years, especially for rivers…”
"Nearly half of the surface waters in Ireland are failing to meet the legally binding water quality objectives set by the EU Water Framework Directive because of pollution and other human disturbance."
"The ecological status indicates whether a water body is being damaged by pollution, water abstraction or habitat degradation. Waters at high and good ecological status show only minor or slight changes from natural conditions, whereas waters at less than good status (i.e. moderate, poor or bad) are moderately to severely damaged by pollution or habitat degradation. Assessing the ecological status of water bodies helps guide the identification of appropriate management measures for their protection and restoration.”
EU Water Framework Directive requires achieving ‘good’ or ‘high’ quality water status across Ireland no later than 2027 and requires preventing further deterioration of current water quality standards. River Basin Management Plans and River Trusts have been established across the country to help achieve these goals.
We have a matter of weeks to assess the new information and make our responses to the council. There was a beautiful coming together of energies and expertise for the last round of submissions - we need to galvanize that again to study the new information, do our research, have conversations about it and submit our responses to the council to protect our river system.
Share with your networks who are working to protect our water ways and rivers around the world. When we help one, we help them all.
And stay tuned for developments. #SavetheBoyne
míle buíochas
Is Mise Boann
Take Action
CALL TO ACTION!
A planning application for a 7.2 km pipeline to discharge 400,000 litres of treated wastewater per day into the Boyne River is in its next round of review.
The new objections submission deadline is April 7th!
Let’s Save the Boyne
Ways to Support Saving the Boyne:
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Help with the review of Further Information including the ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT (EIAR) and file an objection.
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Raise awareness locally and on social media platforms! The river needs us to be her voice. Bring other individuals and organizations to the conversation. Let your elected officials know to amplify your voice clearly in support of improving water quality - not endangering it.
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Artists! Poets! Storytellers! Send us your work inspired the Boyne!
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File an Objection
Any concerned person can file an objection by following the guidelines and criteria set forth by Meath County Council.
You can make an objection by submitting a letter in writing along with paying a 20 euro fee. You must include your own postal address in the submission.
If you submitted an objection last year, you do not need to pay the fee a second time.
For more information and relevant links:
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Outreach
Follow and share on social media!
Contact local politicians, TDs and MAPS ask them what are they doing to prevent this.
Appeal to those with knowledge on planning and / or the environment. Invite them to assess or advise the assessment process.
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Imbas
Please enjoy our growing gallery of poetry, music and art connected to the Boyne! Fall in love with the River… we protect what we love!
Maybe you would like to share with us your work inspired by the Boyne?
Join Is Míse Boann and others as we vision and create in honor of the story of the Goddess Boann and her life as the River Boyne.