A report by the engineer has found that the works in the Sruwaddacon estuary special area of conservation comply with foreshore licence conditions and are "in accordance" with the approved environmental management plan, the department has said.

Shell has consistently argued that the section of the pipeline on and above the shore at the landfall site of Glengad has consents.

China cut its export quotas for rare earth by 72 percent for the second half of this year, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce on July 8. Shipments will be capped at 7,976 metric tons, down from 28,417 tons for the same period a year ago.

The judgment, hailed as hugely important by environmental law experts, could open the door to new rules covering legal costs and encourage more individuals and community groups to take their cases to the courts.

[The judgment can not be used in Ireland as it remains the only EU state not to have ratified the Aarhus Convention.]

Castlemaine harbour is an area of special conservation, as well as a special protection area, and the ban was put in place to collect baseline data in order to comply with the EU habitats and birds directive.

He also said plans by the National Roads Authority for a 27kilometre dual-carriageway between Clontibret, Co Monaghan, and the Border at Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone, amounted to "total overkill, especially since Monaghan has already been bypassed".

Manufacturers will also have to provide additional information on the energy use of the bulbs they sell, under the new rules to be introduced by the European Commission from September 1st.

Objectors have been given until August 31st to respond to the decision which, if finally approved, will vindicate the stance taken by inshore Erris fishermen on protection of the Broadhaven Bay marine environment.

An investigation of that incident confirmed elevated dust emissions in breach of the ESB's Pollution Control Licence. During a site visit last month, the EPA found the station to be non-compliant in a number of areas.

The Climate Camp protesters are occupying a field at Victoria Bridge, south of Strabane through which the proposed road will pass. They say they are there at the invitation of a local group, the Alternative A5 Alliance.

Environmentalist Seán Ó Suilleabháin, who is chair of the local fishermen's co-op, says he is happy that Natura 2000 legislation and mussel culture can co-exist, based on scientific evidence.

Yesterday, August 12th, saw the opening of the shooting season for grouse in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland but not in the Republic where wildfowlers have to wait until September 1st.

However local residents said the compulsory purchase order (CPO) takes in public footpaths and roads and could cut their access to Shelly Banks beach.

According to the Shannon Protection Alliance, this equates roughly to the amount of water that currently leaks from the Dublin water delivery system.

The new road would replace the existing Monaghan bypass, which was opened just four years ago.

None of the route options being examined by Monaghan County Council and the National Roads Authority (NRA) incorporates the bypass, built at a cost of €26 million, or other large sections of the existing N2 that were also improved in recent years.

The disease is caused by a fungus-like organism and has also been identified in beech trees and two noble fir trees growing in proximity to the infected larch trees here.

Whoever destroyed an ancient ring fort on a Cork farm in recent days has crossed that line and has destroyed part of the country's heritage that was not theirs to destroy.

Though not by any means an isolated example of our too often destructive attitude towards our environment, built or otherwise, this premeditated and illegal vandalism is a manifestation of greed and deep ignorance.

HERITAGE body An Taisce has defended its decision to accept €30,000 in donations from supermarket giant Tesco and Indaver, a firm that is building incinerators in Meath and Cork.

There were calls yesterday for An Taisce to be 'stood down' until an investigation into its funding takes place to find out whether it has a conflict of interest.

However, An Taisce heritage officer Ian Lumley branded the complaints as "spurious" and pointed to the organisation's opposition to developments by both Tesco and Indaver.