Environmentalist Brendan Kelly and a member of Fis Nua explained that the EU Water Framework Directive contains the polluter pays principle which in fact exempts domestic users.

Brendan Ogle of the Right2Water explained that the UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights 2010 states that water is a human right with the implication that it is not a commodity to be traded or paid for. He referred to the peaceful anti water protest planned for Saturday the 17 th September 2016.

Kate McAney of the Vincent Wildlife Trust pointed out that our native Irish Mammal the Pine Martin’s diet shows that it is not a threat to farm animals despite recent calls by some representatives of the farming community for a cull. She pointed out that recent sensational articles such as one contained in the Farming Independent on the 30 August 2016 were over the top and grossly exaggerated. Her position is supported by research carried out by the Irish Wildlife Trust findings of which are contained in a recent press release. Other topics discussed were the fact that the French Trade Minister Matthias Fekl has called for a halt to the TTIP trade talks while the German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel has said that this trade agreement is “de facto dead”.

On the subject of the Enviro series Plants for your Wildlife Garden, John recommended the plant Achillea a Summer flowering herbaceous plant suitable for border planting which attracts wildlife to feed or nest, an all round tough plant suitable for problem areas and which tolerates cold exposed locations. Recent research has found that Leitrim people are the happiest in Ireland.

Presenter: John Haughton

Panellist: Joe Dunne