Archive for the 'Ciaran Mussen' Category

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
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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 Walmart is a particularly potent example as in America a thriving ecology of local independent retailers has been replaced by one monolithic monoculture that has effectively caused the extinction of viable town centres and replaced them with decaying inner cities and out of town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.”

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
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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

Mussen is the history man

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on March 5, 2009
in 6. PRESS CUTTINGS, Cadogan Enright, Ciaran Mussen and Newry & Mourne
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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
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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

Mussen’s Warning

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on August 20, 2008
in 6. PRESS CUTTINGS, Ciaran Mussen and Climate Change/Flooding
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mussen, originally uploaded by downgreenparty.

GREENS SUPPORT RENEWABLE ENERGY BUSINESS – PUBLIC MEETING

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on January 17, 2008
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, 4. GREEN PEOPLE, 5. EVENTS, Brian Wilson, Cadogan Enright and Ciaran Mussen
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SOUTH DOWN – with cadogan, originally uploaded by downgreenparty.

Photo includes Cllr Ciaran Mussen, Cllr Cadogan Enright and Representatives from the Renewable Energy Industry.

The Green Party held a meeting last night (Thursday 10th) in the Saint Patrick Centre in Downpatick to address the lack of Executive support for renewable energy installers in County Down, which could lead to the loss of over 180 jobs in county Down and over 1000 jobs across Northern Ireland.

Cllr Cadogan Enright, Down District Green Party Councillor, chaired the packed meeting which was attended by over forty business owners, who are facing an uncertain future due to the ending of the Reconnect Grant Scheme.

Cllr Enright explained, ‘We in the Green Party were approached by a number of installers who were concerned at the decision by DETI to end the grant scheme, which provides homeowners up to 50% of the installation of renewables and was a major source of business for the growing industry.’

‘The meeting was very well attended and showed the passion of the installers in this sector, as well as their frustration at Minister Nigel Dodds in ending the grants, given the threat to their job security.’

Many installers expressed alarm at Minister Peter Robinson’s decision to opt out of new UK building regulations requiring renewables in all new houses in NI, which would have included a 50% stamp duty exemption as incentive. Other installers expressed concern that the civil servants managing the Warm Homes scheme were recommending to Minister Ritchie that expensive fossil fuels be used in preference to cheap renewable systems.

‘This is a growing indigenous industry in the private sector which employs over 1000 people in 95 companies across the North. The Executive should be encouraging its growth, not cutting off a vital lifeline, especially when the Grant Scheme is proving so popular’, Cllr Enright said.

The meeting was also attended by Brian Wilson, Green Party MLA for North Down, Green Party Cllr Ciaran Mussen of Newry and Mourne Council and Cllr Joe Corr, who was representing Green Party Minister for Energy Eamonn Ryan in Dublin. The aim was to set out a campaign for renewable energy at Council, Assembly and intergovernmental level.

Brian Wilson fully supported the installers and said, ‘I have raised this issue many times at the Assembly, and I think it is essential that the Executive has a strategy for energy which encourages NI businesses and helps to reduce our carbon emissions.’

A major outcome of the meeting was the unequivocal agreement amongst installers that a lobby group was needed for their industry which could put pressure on the Departments to take action. Key players in the renewable industry from around Northern Ireland are meeting in Downpatrick next week to establish their new industry forum.

Ruth McGuigan, of the new Renewable Energy Forum, said, ‘We, as installers, are part of the green economy which is providing jobs and growth to NI. We are urging the Assembly to continue the Reconnect grants and put in place legislation that will make renewable energy a part of all building and energy plans in the future.’

Cllr Enright concluded, ‘This meeting provided a voice for the installers who are facing great difficulties in what is a crucial industry. However, it was also positive in that it put in place a campaign to ensure that renewable energy installers are given the support they require.’

Cllr Enright welcomed support from local SDLP, DUP and Sinn Fein Councillors that they would support motions on these issues at Down District Council, and thanked Minister Eamonn Ryan for his intervention at intergovernmental Ministerial level.

 cadogan-ciaran-conor.jpg

Pictured from left are Cllr Cadogan Enright, Cllr Ciaran Mussen and Connaire McGreevy from Rozell Renewables at the Renewables Meeting.

Press Cuttings: renewable meeting democrat, renewable meeting observer, renewable meeting recorder, renewables meeting 1

Mussen is the history man

Published
by
John Hardy
on December 19, 2007
in 6. PRESS CUTTINGS and Ciaran Mussen
. 0 Comments

‘Mussen is the history man’

Councillor Ciaran Mussen

Published
by
John Hardy
on December 18, 2007
in 4. GREEN PEOPLE and Ciaran Mussen
. 0 Comments

 mussen

 

 Pictured is Cllr Ciaran Mussen, who has welcomed the appointment of his election agent, Cadogan Enright, as new Green Party Councillor for Down District to replace Bill Corry.

 Ciaran joined the Green Party 3 years ago and with colleagues Bill Corry (Down district) and Brian Wilson (North Down) made a major breakthrough by taking council seats for the first time in history.  Having spent almost 20 years championing a variety of causes and serving as an independent councillor, he joined the Green Party in 2005 which he describes as the most progressive, enlightened and necessary party on earth:  

He has a strong passion for environmental issues and stood as the Green Party candidate for South Down in the March 2007 Assembly elections, making a great gain in votes for the Green Party.

 

Cllr Mussen and Cllr Enright have worked closely together before on various issues, including a submission on the need for net-metering on renewable energy within the all-island electricity market.

 

Ciaran has commended outgoing Councillor Bill Corry on his hard work for the Green Party during his time as a Councillor. Ciran siad, “Both Bill and I were elected as Green Party Councillors at the same time and we have worked closely together. I am sure that Cadogan Enright will continue the good work that Bill has done so far and he has already shown his dedication and energy through his experience as election agent to myelf and Bill.