Archive for the 'EURO CAMPAIGN' Category

PROSPECTS GOOD FOR LOCAL GREENS FOLLOWING EU RESULT

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on June 17, 2009
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, Brian Wilson, Cadogan Enright and EURO CAMPAIGN
. 0 Comments

Photograph shows Green Party MEP Candidate Steven Agnew flanked by Green Party Elected Representatives. From left to right – Cllr Cadogan Enright, Steven Agnew and Brian Wilson MLA.

DOWN District Green Party Activists were congratulated by Green Party MEP Candidate Steven Agnew on an exceptional local campaign. Steven Agnew received 15,764 votes which is almost treble the votes received in the last European Election in which the Greens received just 4810 votes.

According to local election tallies the Green Party received a very good vote in South Down. In areas within the Down District the Green Party tallied on average 10% of the vote.

The only area to top South Downs performance was North Down where the Green Party secured up to 15% of the vote, where the Green Party MLA Brian Wilson is based.

Green Party Councillor Cadogan Enright said, “This bodes well for local election prospects in the Down District and the South Down area at the next local and MLA elections in 2011. If we can maintain this momentum of increasing our vote with every election our prospects of more Green Party Councillors and a Green Party MLA in South Down are increased greatly.”

The Green Party’s European election candidate Steven Agnew has also issued a heart felt thanks to all those who voted for him or got involved in his campaign over the past few weeks and months.

Mr. Agnew said, “To all the people who came out and voted for the Green Party and to all those I have met over the past few months they have my sincerest thanks and gratitude.”

Press Cuttings: Green Party buoyed by euro performance in Down, Greens congratulated on election, Successful Euro Campaign.

LOCAL GREENS PLEDGE SUPPORT FOR SAVE OUR CITY CAMPAIGN

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on June 8, 2009
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, 5. EVENTS, Cadogan Enright, Ciaran Mussen, EURO CAMPAIGN and Newry & Mourne
. 0 Comments

Stephen Agnew, Green Party European candidate with the petition and traders and supporters of the Save are City campaign.

On a visit to Newry on Saturday 23rd May Green Party Euro Candidate Steven Agnew delivered the signatures of himself the Greens MLA Brian Wilson and three local Cllrs Ciaran Mussen, Cadogan Enright and Mark Dearey, to local traders.

Steven stated that ‘the work the group are doing to prevent an out of town development is in keeping with current planning guidelines, environmental best practice and is in the interest of the local economy which would be decimated by such a proposal. As such I think the group deserves the full support of all political parties.’

Agnew continued ‘it has been shown in countless studies that big box of out of town developments costs thousands of local jobs in family run businesses, cause dereliction and economic decline in town centres and lead to ever greater levels of traffic congestion. I note that the chamber of commerce has taken a lead on this issue and is spearheading attempts to stop this proposal in it tracks. “

He pointed out that “Their support is indicative of the effect that such a development will have on local commerce. In addition streets such as Hill St and Monaghan street are likely to become an uninhabited derelict zone as local family run businesses in the town centre are driven to extinction by massive conglomerates such as Asda which is linked to the American giant Walmart. Walmart is a particularly potent example as in America a thriving ecology of local independent retailers has been replaced by one monolithic monoculture that has effectively caused the extinction of viable town centres and replaced them with decaying inner cities and out of town retail parks. I wish the group every success in their campaign and would appeal to other parties get behind them’. Agnew said.

Also attending the event was Down District Green Party Cllr Cadogan Enright, who said, “I think it is very important that everyone supports the Save Our City campaign because, although we may not live in Newry, if this development is allowed to go ahead it will set a bad precedent for towns and cities all across Northern Ireland, destroying the livelihoods of our small independent retailers and causing the decline of our town centres. Its time to support our local shops and businesses.”

GREEN EU CANDIDATE VISITS BALLYNAHINCH

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on May 28, 2009
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, 5. EVENTS, Ballynahinch/Spa, Cadogan Enright, EURO CAMPAIGN and Pat Ward
. 0 Comments

Photograph shows Green EU Candidate Steven Agnew (centre) flanked by Green Party Cllr Cadogan Enright (left) and Local Green Party Co-ordinator Pat Ward in Ballynahinch.

Steven Agnew, The Green Party EU Candidate, made a final campaign visit to Ballynahinch last week.

DOWN Councillor Cadogan Enright thanked Steven Agnew for travelling down to support the local campaign and thanked Pat Ward for bringing so many people out for support on the day.

Steven Agnew commented about the extraordinary level of pollution incidents on the Ballynahinch River emanating from the mismanagement of sewage facilities and daily traffic jams through the town creating rat runs throughout the mid down area.

Steven Agnew said, “It is preposterous that 5200 people are forced to drive to Belfast everyday from South Down, for work, creating congestion in Ballynahinch and along the A7 through Crossgar and Saintfield. 4000 of these people work for Government agencies and Stormont can choose to decentralise jobs around Northern Ireland to where the people actually live making for more sustainable lifestyles.”

“It is unacceptable that South Down has been written off by the Northern Ireland Executive as an area for the decentralisation of Government jobs – this will leave people having long unnecessary routes unless we can implement a more sustainable policy in employment in the public sector,” concluded Steven Agnew.

Cllr Enright urged people to vote for Steven on Thursday (4th June) and said, “Already the Green Party is leading the way in Europe in terms of agriculture, energy, fisheries and climate change policies with their 43 Green MEPs.”

“For Steven, joining this influential grouping would allow for local issues – those concerning Down District and the rest of Northern Ireland – to be best brought forward for legislative purposes,” concluded Cllr Enright.

Press Cuttings: Greens call for end to pollution of Ballynahinch river during local visit.

GREENS CAMPAIGN AGAINST BADGER CULL IN DOWN

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on May 15, 2009
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, Cadogan Enright, EURO CAMPAIGN, Farming / Agriculture, Wildlife/Trees/Nature and Working with other Parties
. 0 Comments

Photograph shows (l to r) Down Green Party Councillor Enright with Green EU candidate Stephen Agnew being shown a 200 year old Badger sett by by local wildlife campaigner Barbara Haig which is threatened by the cull.

DOWN Green Party Cllr Cadogan Enright has thanked UUP MLA John McCallister for putting questions to the Stormont Assembly on behalf of local Wildlife campaigners regarding the proposed Badger Cull in Co. Down.

Badgers have been blamed for the spread of T.B yet many local wildlife campaigners have strongly opposed such an allegation. Green Party Councillor Cadogan Enright and UUP MLA John McCallister have been working together along with local wildlife campaigners in support of their campaign against the proposed badger cull in our area.

Cllr Enright said, “In addition to being an MLA, John McCallister is a well respected farmer in South Down. When John McCallister says there is no scientific link of transmissions of TB from badgers to cattle he knows what he is talking about.”

Cllr Enright continued, “Cllr Robert Burgess in Down District Council who is also a well respected farmer in this area and leader of the UUP group on the Down District Council has also rejected the use of the badger as a scapegoat for TB by the TB eradication campaign.”

UUP MLA John McCallister said, “Previous culls in Britain and the Republic of Ireland have done nothing to reduce the instances of TB and in fact TB instances have increased in these countries. However in Northern Ireland where there has been no cull we have seen the instances of TB falling each year.

“I will be putting questions to the NI Minister Michelle Gildernew on the lack of scientific evidence and the waste of financial resources in these difficult times.

Green Party Cllr Cadogan Enright concluded, “It is good to see prominent members of the farming community taking a lead on these sorts of issues and I applaud Cllr Robert Burgess and John McCallister MLA”.

Press Cuttings: McCallister offers support against proposed Down badger cull, Concern over proposed badger cull in province, Enright welcomes support for anti-badger cull campaign

STEVEN AGNEW EURO CAMPAIGN REACHES NEWCASTLE

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on May 13, 2009
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, Cadogan Enright, EURO CAMPAIGN, John Hardy, Newcastle and Parks/National Park
. 0 Comments

Photograph shows EU Candidate Steven Agnew (centre) flanked by Green Party Cllr Cadogan Enright and John Hardy of Newcastle meeting local community representatives Arthur Thompson and Walter Graham.

Down Green Party Cllr Cadogan Enright was in Belfast last Friday morning to nominate Steven Agnew as the Green Party European Election Candidate. Cadogan Enright is the nominating officer for the Green Party in Northern Ireland.

On Friday afternoon and over the weekend, Green Party activists were in Newcastle canvassing and meeting with local people and Cllr Enright introduced EU Steven Agnew to Newcastle’s Sustainable Development Forum representatives.

Cllr Enright said, “The next two weekends will be very busy for us putting up posters and finalising plans for the election. It is great to have the candidate spending so much time in Down District and in Newry and Mourne and it is great to have a candidate who has been so active in many local campaigns.”

John Hardy, the Green Party Co-ordinator for Newcastle, said, “Steven Agnew has been a great support for us in our campaign for the Mourne National Park. This will be a huge economic boost to the South Down area if it is announced as expected next year. We will be campaigning for European and International recognition by joining up with the Cooley’s in Louth. This could significantly increase the finances available for the project of a National Park.”

Local Green Party Councillor Cadogan Enright said, “Over the last few months Steven Agnew has been with us in Down District campaigning against the Badger Baiters in Downpatrick, against the proposed Badger Cull near Ballynahinch and supporting young people in Killyleagh in their campaign against Mosquito Alarms which are banned in several parts of the UK and in the ROI.”

“I would call on people in South Down to give their first vote to the Green Party in the EU Elections and transfer then to the normal party of choice. This will send a clear signal to the big parties that people in Northern Ireland want the Green ‘Obama Style’ policy of creating new smart Green Jobs in the local economy and in local agriculture. Voters can send the message that the big parties must reject the existing failed economic model of importing fossil fuels and importing livestock from New Zealand or flying flowers in from Israel.” concluded Cllr Enright.

Press Cuttings: Green Cllr talks about why you should Vote Green, Green Councillor nominates party's EU election candidate

GREEN EU CANDIDATE VISITS DOWNPATRICK

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on April 9, 2009
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, 5. EVENTS, Bill Corry, Brenda Cooke, Cadogan Enright, Downpatrick, EURO CAMPAIGN and Mark McCormick
. 0 Comments

Steven Agnew, Green Euro Candidate, visits Downpatrick.

Downpatrick Cllr Cadogan Enright and retired Cllr Bill Corry of the Green Party hosted the launch of Green EU Candidate Steven Agnew’s Campaign in South Down.

Meeting in the Saint Patrick Centre Steven Agnew listened to the concerns of many local environmentalist groups, community activists and human rights campaigners.

Downpatrick Friends of the Earth co-ordinator Keith Bradford said, “I was impressed with this intelligent and committed young man and things bode well for Northern Ireland when we have people like this coming forward as potential political representatives.”

Jim Marks, a local farmer and environmentalist campaigner, from Killileagh shared many of the concerns in the Lecale area with Steven Agnew including multiple instances of river pollution, unsustainable development and flagrant disregard for EU Directives in the area of health and the environment that are rampant in Northern Ireland.

Cllr Cadogan Enright pointed out how Down District Council had still failed to implement a Biodiversity Action Plan and is only now beginning to look at implementing its responsibilities under Local Agenda 21 – That is how Down District can be made sustainable for our children and grand children.

Cllr Enright said, “When you look at Britain, Germany and even central and south America and see that local authorities in all these regions are planning for the future in terms of biodiversity and climate change. Its embarrassing that we here in Down District Council have failed to deliver a local plan despite the best efforts of a number of councillors from different parties to bring this forward.”

Bill Corry praised Steven Agnew and held him up as the sort of young person we need in politics to change priorities for the future and create a better life and future for everyone in Down District and Co. Down.

The Green Party EU Candidate Steven Agnew thanked everyone for showing up to express their concerns and was continuing to amend his election platform to reflect these and other matters brought to his attention by similar meetings in Ballynahinch, Newcastle, Hilltown and Warrenpoint.

Press Cuttings: Councillor criticises the lack of local action plan

ONE MINUTE SILENCE AT GREEN PARTY ANNUAL CONFERENCE / ARD FHEIS

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on March 9, 2009
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, 5. EVENTS, Cadogan Enright, Ciaran Mussen and EURO CAMPAIGN
. 0 Comments

Photograph shows, from left, Green Party Senator Deirdre De Burca from Dublin, Cllr Ciaran Mussen from Hilltown, Northern Ireland Green Party EU Candidate Steven Agnew, Cllr Cadogan Enright from Downpatrick and Green Party Senator Dan Boyle from Cork

DOWN Green Party members attended the largest Green Party annual conference ever held in Ireland in Wexford at the weekend. Over 600 delegates attended the conference with many from Down District and Newry and Mourne.

The weekend was marred by the killings in Co Antrim, and the conference held a minutes silence on Sunday morning. Party leader John Gormley Minister of the Environment and local government in the Republic condemned the incident and called for no return to the politics of yesteryear and called on all parties to ensure the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.

Local delegates also discussed the merger of the Down District Green Party with the Newry and Mourne Green Party and how to tackle the inclusion of South Armagh into the new local government area. This proposal followed the recent announcement of the merger of Down District and Newry and Mourne council areas.

Cllr Enright from Downpatrick welcomed the announcement that the all-Island electricity grid was to be restructured to accommodate 40% renewable energy. “This will be a huge boost to the local economy on both sides of the boarder – the 4000 extra jobs involved will be sustainable in the long term as there is no-where to go for this industry except up”

Cllr Ciaran Mussen from Hilltown said “We also had the opportunity to coordinate our EU election campaigns and sat down with Senators Dan Boyle from Cork and Deirdre De Burca from Dublin along with our own candidate Steven Agnew.

Green EU candidate Steven Agnew said “It’s excellent to be part of an international party at a time when the problems we face require joined up action on an international basis. It’s great to know that the message I am conveying in Northern Ireland are being shared by my colleagues in Ireland and the UK and across Europe.”

Delegates from England, Scotland, and Wales were also in attendance and voted to recognise the Cornish Green Party for the first time.

Mr Agnew continued,

“I congratulate Councillor Enright and the Down District Greens on the excellent work they are doing in their local constituency and I will be joining them this week in, Newcastle and Downpatrick to help them spread the message that we need Greens working on a local, national and European basis if we are going to tackle the issues of job losses, fuel poverty and climate change.”

Press Cuttings: South Down well represented at Green Party conference

GREENS CONDEMN BADGER BAITING

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on March 9, 2009
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, Cadogan Enright, Downpatrick, EURO CAMPAIGN, Wildlife/Trees/Nature and Working with other Parties
. 0 Comments

Photograph shows (from left) Steven Agnew Green Party EU candidate, Noel Killen Lecale Conservation, John McAllister Ulster Unionist MLA and Cllr Cadogan Enright Green Party Downpatrick at the site of the Badger Baiting.

DOWN District Green Party Councillor Cadogan Enright has condemned a small group of local people who are working with criminals based in Belfast who are involved in badger baiting in the Down District area.

Cllr Enright said that “I have reported those who I feel are responsible to the PSNI, and I hope that investigations will follow”. Cllr Enright is on the local policing partnership.

Cllr Cadogan Enright was joined in his condemnation by the Green Party EU Election candidate Steven Agnew.

Steven Agnew said “I am appalled the lengths that people go to, to inflict such cruelty on the badgers and the dogs that are inevitably injured in this practice”This photo shows the attempts to dig out the badger holes by the baiters.

Mr Agnew continued, “Fortunately in this case the badger set seems to be remained intact as it appears the culprits were disturbed. I know that the community is appalled by badger baiting and it is important that we all support the police and the USPCA to put an end to this unwelcome activity”.

Ulster Unionist MLA John McAllister said “If the evil of Badger persecution is to be eradicated from our countryside, it is the responsibility of landowners, as custodians of the environment, the statutory agencies, whose remit is to protect this valuable creature and the rural community, to be vigilant more than ever.”

Press Cuttings: Barbarity on our doorstep, Politicians' anger at badger baiting

GREEN PARTY LAUNCHES EUROPEAN ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on January 26, 2009
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, 5. EVENTS, Brian Wilson, Cadogan Enright, Ciaran Mussen, Climate Change/Flooding, EURO CAMPAIGN, Employment/Economics and Renewable Energy
. 0 Comments

Photograph shows right to left Down Cllr Cadogan Enright, EU electioncandidate Steven Agnew, Green MLA Brian Wilson and Green Councillor CiaranMussen At the massive wind-turbine assembly plan in East Belfast

DOWN Green Party councillor Cadogan Enright was at Harland and Wolff in East Belfast to launch the Green Party’s European election candidate Steven Agnew.

Steven Agnew joined the Green Party in 2003 and stood in the 2007 Assembly elections in East Belfast when Cllr Enright acted as his election agent. Steven currently works as a research officer for Green Party MLA Brian Wilson.

Downpatrick Councillor Enright said, “There are currently 43 green deputies in the European Parliament from 14 different countries. We have played a major role in the creation of legislation that has helped to protect our environment, boosted the farming community, set ambitious targets for renewable energy, increased social protection and biodiversity.

With Steven Agnew now standing it means we have a candidate in every EU constituency in England, Scotland and Wales with only Connacht in Ireland not yet selectinga candidate.”

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Agnew said, “Everyone knows the problems; the ‘triple crunch’ of job losses, fuel poverty and climate change. I offer a solution that will tackle all three, a solution that has the potential to create tens of thousands of jobs here in Northern Ireland. I offer asolution where new green technologies will bring energy security to Northern Ireland and ensure we play our part in the fight against climate change. I offer a Green industrial revolution.”

The campaign was launched in Harland and Wolff’s huge new wind turbine assembly facility, which also assembled the massive tidal turbine currently breaking all energy records in Strangford Lough.

Outlining how a Green Industrial Revolution might happen with the right political leadership Mr. Agnew said: “Energy efficiency measures such asthe insulation of homes can create much-needed jobs in the construction sector, as well as reducing energy bills and emissions. There are also thousands of jobs in sustainable waste solutions based on the principal of reduce, reuse, and recycle rather than incineration. A shift in expenditure to more sustainable forms of transport not only creates a public transport which people actually want to use but also creates jobs.”

Cllr Cadogan Enright pledged the full support of the Green Party in Strangford and Down District to Steve Agnew’s campaign.”

Press Cuttings: Enright behind MEP candidate

STEVEN AGNEW, GREEN PARTY EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT CANDIDATE

Published
by
Mark McCormick
on January 25, 2009
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, Cadogan Enright and EURO CAMPAIGN
. 0 Comments

Steven Agnew with Downpatrick Cllr Cadogan Enright on the campaign trail!The Green Party has announced Steven Agnew as its European election candidate for Northern Ireland at Harland & Wolff, Belfast.

The theme of Mr. Agnew’s campaign is: A New Economy – A Green Economy – A Green Economy Creates Jobs

Steven was born in Dundonald on 12th October 1979.

He was educated Grosvenor Grammar School and was awarded a BA Honours in Philosophy at Queens University Belfast.

Steven worked as a Support Worker with the homeless in West Belfast and then went on to work for the Simon Community in their hostel in Lisburn.

  • Political Life

Steven joined the Green Party in 2003 during their campaign against the invasion of Iraq. In 2007 he stood in the Assembly election for East Belfast and reached the seventh count.

Steven currently works as a Research Officer for Green Party MLA Brian Wilson.

Covering a range of issues in his role at Stormont he sits on Assembly groups for Children & Young People, Ethnic Minority Communities and for the Blind & Partially Sighted. He is now working on legislation to prevent the growth of GM crops in Northern Ireland.

Steven has also worked with Brian Wilson MLA on his campaign for an independent Environmental Protection Agency for Northern Ireland and highlighting the poor state of our waterways in the Green Party’s Clean Rivers Campaign.

With a wide range of experience in constituency matters and working with community groups, Steven has played an active role in demanding a full public inquiry into plans to expand the runway at George Best Belfast City Airport.

Steven supports a zero waste strategy for Northern Ireland and therefore opposes incineration plants such as those proposed for North Belfast, Lough Neagh and the North West, as they will require high levels of waste to be viable.

A strong advocate for animal welfare issues, Steven has been involved in campaigns to protect animals from abuse in circuses. He is currently working on extending to Northern Ireland the UK legislation that bans hunting with hounds.

In his free time Steven is an active supporter of the arts, attending many local gigs and has featured in an independent film.

Press Cuttings: Green Cllr talks about why you should Vote Green