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Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Science
- Irish Examiner
How Cork City Council can move on from its robotrees fiasco
There has been a lot of misinformation and misconception thrown into the public domain recently regarding the 'death of the robotrees'. It's time to put the record straight. But where to begin? The very best way to get clean air in St Patrick's Street in Cork is to remove the sources of the pollutants. In other words, prevent all road transport driving along there. To start with, you need to ban all combustion engines… then later all vehicles, because tyre wear also releases the small particles that can kill us or put us into hospital. Cleaning up polluted air is, very much, a second-best strategy. My own way of thinking about this process is to imagine brewing a cup of tea. And then adding a drop of milk. Then trying to take all the milk out. Impossible. In other words, don't add the milk in the first place! Real trees, bedding plants, and 'CityTrees' on St Patrick's Street in Cork. Prof John Sodeau recommends none of the above as filters for toxic particles released by exhausts and tyres, saying chest-high hedging would be relatively effective — with the caveat that any level of particulates above zero can harm our health. Picture: Larry Cummins Air cleaning devices like the robo trees (also known as CityTrees or moss walls) were therefore unlikely to prove very effective in removing the small toxic particulates and nitrogen oxides released from road transport to the air. Starting in 2018, CityTrees were tested in Amsterdam. By 2019, they had been removed because they proved useless. Many other European cities had the same experience. There is even a Wikipedia page devoted to the history of CityTrees. Now we know the end result is just the same for Cork. The question is — why did Cork City Council undertake such an 'experiment' starting in 2021, given that the approach was not innovative or novel, and studies had already been published to show the devices were a total failure when located in the real world? Of course it's good and forward-thinking to try new things and experiment to improve our environment. But not if you know the approach is unoriginal and furthermore does not work. Whatever the council's initial motivations, there was absolutely no need to throw money down the drain over the last four years for running costs. Two of the City Trees, generally referred to as 'robotrees', on Grand Parade in Cork. They were intended to filter harmful pollutants out of the air. Picture: Larry Cummins The irony is that Cork houses the leading laboratory in air pollution chemistry in Ireland at UCC. Why did they not contact them — especially as the council apparatchiks involved in writing the National Transport Authority proposal had no appropriate scientific background in air science? If they had phoned me, then I think I could have come up with a better way of achieving their clean-up aims in a couple of hours. My answer would have been focussed on hedging the streets; not planting trees as has recently been suggested. That is because trees are not effective in removing small toxic particles and nitrogen oxides from road traffic emissions. Their main function in the urban environment is to remove the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, and to beautify the surroundings. Hedges could help Nature can still be the answer, but in the form of chest-high hedges. These act as a physical barrier to the small, toxic particles released by exhausts and tyres from reaching pedestrians. Such a height is particularly effective for protecting small children and babies in prams, who are especially vulnerable. Although it should be noted that any amount of small particulates above zero can harm our health. So, no matter how low the levels in Cork City are, they can still kill or give us cardio problems, promote asthma attacks, or cause cancer. Cork City Council officials and then lord mayor Colm Kelleher speaking to media at the cluster of City Trees on St Patrick's Street in August 2021. Picture: Larry Cummins Sadly, for whatever reasons, council representatives and employees have kept on defending the robotrees rather than owning the mistake. But things can be made good, in my opinion. Firstly, the council should make an apology to the tax-paying public for wasting money on a device that was known to not work. Then they must learn the lesson of always consulting scientific experts on matters arising outside internal expertise. Then for the public to forgive. Air pollution science is complicated. The CityTrees were badly named: They were never designed to do what real trees do for our atmosphere and our climate. But we should still keep planting trees. The ultimate answer to help improve air quality in the city is simple. Ban all road transport driving along St Patrick's Street. Instead, run communal electric trolley buses like they do in Geneva. Or build a Luas, as in Dublin. Finally, local authorities should lead and innovate by all means possible, but additionally use proven approaches to meet the complex environmental challenges we face today. • John Sodeau is emeritus professor of chemistry at UCC
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- General
- Irish Examiner
Cork students feeling a mix of nerves and excitement as 2025 State exams get under way
The wait is over for more than 140,000 students as the 2025 State exams get under way. A total of 140,457 students will sit this year's Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Applied, and Junior Cycle exams in more than 800 centres across the country. Students who spoke to the Irish Examiner ahead of the exams were a mix of nerves and excitement, with many looking forward already to the summer. At Mayfield Community School, the study was "going grand" for sixth year student Evan O'Callaghan. 'I've just been trying to keep on top of it for the last few days and tried not to get distracted by other things.' Kevin Riordan, Francesca Ring and Jack Salter-O'Leary at The Life Centre in Sunday's Well, Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins While he's looking forward to subjects like engineering and art, he's a little more apprehensive about maths. 'That's the one I'm scared of, that I'm focusing more on.' When he finishes school, he hopes to study nautical science, an area he's very interested in. 'I was leaning more towards teaching but I fell in love with the campus when I went to visit the place, the course, the opportunities.' While he's happy to be finishing school, it also does 'feel a bit weird', he added. 'It's 12 years of your life in school and then all of a sudden, it's done. You go to college, you become an adult. It's weird!' For fellow Mayfield student Joseph Salis, there's 'just a bit' of nerves about the exams, but overall, he's feeling well-prepared. Hoping to study mechanical engineering at Munster Technological University once he finishes school, he has spent the last weeks prepping and revising. 'For the last couple of weeks, I've been studying since I wake up until lunch. I'll take a break after that, maybe about two hours free, and then back to study.' At Cork Life Centre in Sunday's Well, student Francesca Ring is feeling nervous. 'It'd be weird not to be.' Francesca Ring relaxes in the music room at The Life Centre in Sunday's Well, Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins She hopes to study nursing once she finishes school. 'It's what I've been aiming for, for a while. I've been studying every day but I tried not to tire myself out too much because I was literally staying in the library every day until after midnight so I really burnt myself out. I'm trying to be somewhere in the middle, where I study enough but not too much.' She is looking forward to the summer, which she will spend travelling to Vietnam. 'I'll be going to Hanoi, and volunteering and teaching English to children. I'm heading out at the start of July, literally just as the exams are done, giving me a week for a breather.' Fellow Leaving Cert student Jack Salter O'Leary is hoping to pursue his studies in woodcraft once he finishes his exams. He was drawn to the course as he likes working with his hands. "The carpentry side of it is something that I've been interested in and enjoyed the most during my time at the Life Centre. "I had access to it before but when I came here, I got more creative freedom with it." Kevin Riordan looking after the fruit and vegetables gardens at the Life Centre. Picture: Larry Cummins For Kevin Riordan, the prospect of starting the Leaving Cert exams brought a mix of emotion. "I've been doing so much study, I think I'm too tired," he joked. "I'm feeling better than I would have been though." He wants to study applied plant biology. "When my mental health was at its worst, plants were always something that would keep me going," he explained. "It just blossomed from there. I got more into the chemistry and the dynamics of nature; learning about how soil can be used to remediate the climate crisis, very interesting stuff." For the summer, he is tasked with caring for the school gardens at Cork Life Centre. "I'll have to oversee a few fruit trees, a few annual veg crops, and just general maintenance. Nothing too major, they're not forcing me to work," he laughed. Wednesday also marks the start of the Junior Cycle exams for students across the country. At Le Chéile Secondary School Ballincollig, David Deasy Rubio is 'feeling good' about them. 'I've been focused for the last three years, from first year until now. I just have to go in and do my best, no one can really do it for me. I've done all the work, I've been preparing since October, I feel ready.' His classmate Oscar Sandberg is also well-prepared but was feeling a little bit daunted by the prospect of the exams. 'But I have done a lot of revision. I've been doing about two hours of study a day for the last seven or eight weeks.' Fellow Le Chéile Junior Cycle student Katie Pedersen is excited to get the exams under way. 'The teachers have been really helpful in preparing us for them, giving us lots of revision work over the last few weeks. 'The teachers have been focusing one-on-one with the students who might need extra help and some of our maths teachers have been giving extra classes before and after school.'
Irish Examiner
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Marriage equality 10 years on: Referendum future-proofed same-sex marriage in an uncertain world
On May 22, 2015, over 62% of voters said 'Yes' in the marriage equality referendum, which led to the legalisation of same-sex marriage. Reflecting on this historic event a decade on, the positive, affirming referendum result takes on a whole new significance. Today's world is one in which the rights of minorities, including the LGBT+ community, appear to be increasingly under attack, even in a number of our fellow EU Member States. In recent years, Hungary's government has restricted adoption to opposite-sex couples, thereby interfering with LGBT+ couples' right to found a family through adopting a child. Also, due to a recent law which prohibits the public portrayal to children of "divergence from self-identity corresponding to sex at birth, sex change or homosexuality", all public LGBT+ events like Pride are banned there, frustrating the rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression of the LGBT+ community. In Italy, when it comes to the provision of goods and services, national anti-discrimination laws do not extend to the LGBT+ community, and while some Italian regions have passed local, LGBT+-inclusive anti-discrimination laws, in many other regions, LGBT+ people can still be discriminated against on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity by providers of goods and services. Further, since 2023, when a female same-sex couple has a child through donor conception in Italy, only the biological mother can be registered as the legal parent on the birth certificate – the child's second female parent cannot be registered, a regressive measure taken by Giorgia Meloni's government that attracted significant international condemnation. Needless to say, neither Italy nor Hungary permit marriage for same-sex couples. Just last month, in our neighbouring jurisdiction, the United Kingdom, the trans community was dealt a significant blow when the UK Supreme Court declared that, for the purposes of equality legislation, the terms 'woman' and 'sex' refer only to biological women and biological sex, respectively. The scene at YES Equality Cork campaign HQ at North Mall, Cork City, after Ireland said 'Yes' to the proposed change to the constitution in the Marriage Equality Referendum. File picture: Larry Cummins While all of this makes for depressing reading, it also contrasts with the success of the marriage equality referendum, which enshrined same-sex marriage in the Constitution, and copper-fastened the fundamental right to marry for LGBT+ couples here in Ireland. Essentially, because the Constitution can only be changed by a successful referendum, only the Irish people, through a future referendum, can vote to remove same-sex couples' right to marry from our Constitution and our laws. Thus, the referendum result provided far greater legal protection for marriage equality than ordinary legislation would have. Indeed, in other countries like the UK and Australia, where marriage equality was introduced through ordinary legislation, this could hypothetically be repealed by a future, right-leaning, anti-LGBT+ administration. In 2025, this is not beyond the realm of possibility, as just last week the UK Labour government unexpectedly pivoted somewhat to the right on the issue of immigration, most likely as a knee-jerk response to the significant successes of the right wing Reform UK party in recent local elections there. In 2015, the significance of the marriage equality referendum in future-proofing one's right to marry a person of the same sex from the type of anti-LGBT+, right-wing politics that appears to be on the rise, and might eventually find its way into the mainstream here in Ireland, would have gone largely unappreciated. Couple Steff O'Leary and Tracy O'Riordan in Cork after Ireland said 'Yes' to the proposed change to the constitution in the Marriage Equality Referendum. File picture: Larry Cummins Today, in an increasingly polarised and uncertain world, this could be regarded as the greatest legacy of the referendum result. This is not to say that, as we celebrate the tenth anniversary of marriage equality, the then government's decision to hold a referendum on whether to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples is now beyond criticism. A national vote to decide on a human rights issue that affects a minority group was crude, because it forced that historically oppressed minority to have to rally together and literally plead with the majority for access to the institution of marriage. The phenomenal 'Yes Equality' campaign literally had members knocking on doors nationwide for months prior to the referendum to get the Irish public on side by putting a human face on the issue of same-sex marriage rights. There was also a very active 'No' campaign that had a profound effect on LGBT+ people. A survey of the negative social and psychological impacts of Ireland's 'No' campaign, subsequently conducted by Australian academics at the University of Queensland and Victoria University in conjunction with Irish marriage equality activists and LGBT+ groups, found that of the 1657 participants, 71% reported that they often or always felt negative in the months leading up to the referendum, due to this campaign's activities. Evan Murphy and Michael Keogh, and YES campaign supporters enjoying a party at Sober Lane in Cork City in 2015 after Ireland said 'Yes' to the proposed change to the constitution in the Marriage Equality Referendum. File picture: Larry Cummins Nonetheless, in 2025, one cannot help but conclude, with the benefit of hindsight, that our record of being the first country in the world to extend the right to marry to same-sex couples on foot of a popular vote is laudable, because it speaks to our values as a nation. On May 22, 2015, a sizeable majority of us chose to insert Article 41.4 into the Constitution, to demonstrate that Ireland is tolerant and LGBT+-friendly, and to expressly guarantee for present and future generations that, in our country "marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex". For that, we should be proud (pun intended). Happy tenth anniversary, marriage equality. Dr Brian Tobin is Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Galway and the author of ' The Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Relationships: Emerging Families in Ireland and Beyond ' (Oxford: Hart, 2023)
Irish Examiner
18-05-2025
- Science
- Irish Examiner
Controversial 'robot trees' removed from Cork City centre
The so-called 'robot trees' installed in Cork City centre nearly four years ago to help clean pollutants from the air have been removed. The five devices, which were erected in August 2021 as part of a local authority initiative to provide more greening of the city, were removed from their locations on St Patrick's Street and the Grand Parade early on Sunday morning. The hexagonal platforms on which they stood remain in place. The trees, which were created by a German biotech firm called Green City Solutions, had cost taxpayers around €350,000. Their cost was covered as part of a €4m funding allocation from the National Transport Authority (NTA) to Cork City Council. Designed to filter the air and absorb the toxic pollutant called particulate matter from the air via moss filters, the trees came equipped with in-built sensors used to collate air quality data for analysis. PM2.5, known as particulate matter, is all solid and liquid particles suspended in air, such as dust, pollen, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets. They also contained 40-inch TV screens used to disseminate information about air quality in Cork City. In recent months, the trees had begun to show signs of wear and tear. The council spokesperson said that the existing seating around where the trees stood "will remain and additional planting will be undertaken in both locations". File Picture: Larry Cummins The devices have been a source of controversy since their installation. The same month they were erected, Dean Venables, a researcher at the Centre for Research into Atmospheric Chemistry at University College Cork, labelled them 'a costly and ineffectual gimmick'. In September 2023, UCC emeritus professor of chemistry, John Sodeau, also criticised the robot trees, saying they were waste of funds. 'If I had been asked about the city trees, I would have said 'don't bother'," he said at the time. Prof Sodeau also said that, pending the outcome of a data analysis of the robot trees' effectiveness, he believed the planting of hedging along the street would have been more effective at removing particulates from the air, and it would be better to tackle the root cause of air pollution, rather than trying to clean the air. "I have looked at these devices in other cities and couldn't see how they could do what they said on the tin, so to speak," he said. In November 2023, Cork City council published a report on the data collected from the robot trees which summarised the findings of two studies on their effectiveness. The data was inconclusive. Asked why exactly they were removed, a spokesperson for Cork City Council told the Irish Examiner: "The 'City Trees' on St Patrick's Street and Grand Parade are being removed this weekend". The council spokesperson said that the existing seating around where the trees stood "will remain and additional planting will be undertaken in both locations". "Cork City Council will be partnering with the UCC/MTU Joint Cork Centre for Architectural Education (CCAE) to explore a re-purposing of the structures," they added. Read More Cork City designated special EU status to unlock major funding to achieve climate neutrality by 2030
Irish Examiner
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
Van life: How to rent a van, what to see and do on the road, where to stay, and what to pack
Ridiculously excited about making a bed or putting things away in cupboards? Saying 'isn't that so clever' and '...so spacious' on repeat? You must be on a camper van trip. I've clocked up plenty of camping trips in tents and holidays in mobile homes but had always been keen to see how much fun a camper van is. So when I saw that an international company offering camper van rentals and support had expanded to Ireland I was packed and ready to move quicksmart. Roadsurfer has a range of RVs, motorhomes and campervans available from bases in countries including Germany, Italy, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal... and now Ireland. Meet the suite First up, you browse the range of campers available to you — options include ones with permanent bedrooms and with a wetroom and toilet, ones with integrated kitchen and living area, or smaller more compact models. For example, the 'Cozy Cottage' is a semi-integrated motorhome which means it has three seats, a combined kitchen/living space, a wet room with shower and toilet and hot water. Some of the fleet available in Ireland from Roadsurfer. Picture: Larry Cummins As a camper van beginner I opted for the 'Surfer Suite' — a four-berth VW van with an automatic pop-up room. This doesn't take up much more road space than my own car so I thought I'd be most comfortable maneuvering this one initially. Being nosy, I did of course have a look around the other models too and they are all immaculate and really new looking inside. The Surf Suite van interior. The exteriors are decorated with camper van motifs and branding so it's kind of fun to give a wave to other renters you meet on the roads. You can bring your own camping gear. such as sleeping bags with you or you have the option of hiring a linen pack (this has very cute duvet covers with camper van pictures all over them). A kitchen box with cups, plates, saucepans etc is included. A bit of prep Once you've booked your van you can do some online prep by watching tutorials. And when you go to the depot, in Dublin, you then get a tour of the features with one of the staff. The Surf Suite van interior. Here you're shown all of the van's little hatches and compartments and how to turn on the heating, use the shower, and how to put up the awning and pop-up roof. Then you give it a go yourself while still on site just to be sure you're not faffing around with buttons or catches at nightfall. Once that's done, you're ready for the road. On the road Our van is an automatic drive and the ones rented in Ireland have the driver's seat on the right side which is handy. There's no mileage limit so you're good to clock up as many destinations as suits you. Caroline Delaney on the road in the Surf Suite van. Picture: Larry Cummins The vans are also proving quite popular as festival accommodation — some canny people have already booked them for Electric Picnic etc. You're also allowed bring dogs in them so that's super handy if it's not a real holiday without your best bud. Where to stay There are hundreds of campsites across the country so make your list and see about booking ahead. Of course, you could take your chances too if you're not travelling in the busy season. Decide what your priorities are — proximity to beaches, hiking trails, towns etc, whether they accept dogs on site, shower and cooking facilities, whether you can book for just one night or if you have to go for a set number of days etc. The Surf Suite van parked for the night at Sixmilewater Caravan Park, Co Antrim. Picture: Larry Cummins And plenty of people opt for the 'wild camping' route too of course. With only a cold shower in our van we took the paid campsite option. It's an outdoor shower which is handy for rinsing the salt off after a swim but there's a lot to be said for a bit of privacy and hot water! We (myself, husband and 13-year-old) decided to head north. First stay was at Six Mile Water Campsite near Antrim town. You book online and get a code for the barrier and the showers. The site is immaculate and the town is just a short walk along the water's edge past a dog park and exercise equipment. Waking up to a pheasant bobbing along on the grass outside is definitely one way to really feel like you're camping. Another great spot to stay is the Standing Stones Lodge just outside Belfast. There's a hotel, glamping pods with hot tubs, and camper van pitches. You're in the right place for a drive or hike at Divis and the Black Mountain and for sweeping views over Belfast city. Roadsurfer campers in other locations in Europe can avail of Roadsurfer Spots. These are beautiful and unique motorhome stopovers and camping pitches in locations ranging from olive groves to secluded riversides. You download the app and pick your must-haves on the filters and find and reserve your ideal spot. The Irish crew did say they're working on establishing these Spots here too so that's something fun to look forward to for next time. What to see and do The Dark Hedges are a must-see for Game of Thrones fans and dendrophiles, aren't they? You can't drive along the avenue, which is fair enough, but here's a car park about two minutes away and then you can stroll along the path between these iconic trees. They're not actual hedges, but the beech trees are definitely mysterious looking. We managed to time our visit between various tour buses arriving so enjoyed a few crowd-free minutes there. The Dark Hedges are a must-see for Game of Thrones fans and dendrophiles. Picture: Caroline Deaney. Giant's Causeway, featured in a million tourist shots of Northern Ireland, was another highlight. These strange hexagonal basalt columns and disks are still so special to see for real. Access is free but you do have to pay a car park fee unless you go by park and ride bus from the nearby town of Bushmills. It could not have been a wetter day for our visit but there were still plenty of people checking out this World Heritage Site. Giant's Causeway was another highlight There is a visitor centre too, if you want to find out more and join a guided tour. Bushmills Distillery and Titanic Belfast are also within easy reach in this areas as is a Game of Thrones studio tour. Eating on the road Our van had a small fridge and a two-ring gas cooker. Picture: Larry Cummins Of course you can cook in your Roadsurfer van and there is something cosy about that first hot cuppa in the morning while you're still in your PJs. Our van had a small fridge and a two-ring gas cooker, but part of a getaway is a holiday from cooking too. There are loads of cafes, bars and hotels along the way. In Bushmills we spotted a very trendy little tapas restaurant called Destination. The 'dog friendly' sign in the window was a clincher. Our 'jug' Teddy was like a celebrity with treats offered instantly. Food, drinks and dog treat menus were presented. Our food was delicious and Teddy definitely enjoyed his Sir Woofchester snacks. Would we have saved room for some deep-fried haggis from the nearby Flash in the Pan fast food outlet if we had known it was there? Maybe that's one for after the distillery tour. Where to pick up your van Roadsurfer's Irish depot is Unit E, Airport Business Campus Swords Road, Santry, Dublin 9. That's a €3, 8-minute bus ride from Dublin Airport. Prices Prices vary, depending on the type of camper you book and then you add on extras as needed — varying from extra camping chairs (there are two already in the camper) to a bike rack for four bikes. There is a flat fee of €99 to bring a dog, for example. A Campervan Beach Hostel VW T6.1 California Beach with 5 seats and 4+1 berth with manual pop-up roof starts at €69 per night. What else to know Teddy snoozing in the Surf Suite van. Picture: Larry Cummins Roadsurfer has now expanded into the US and Canada as well. And you get discounts on future bookings once you've hired from them already. So if you're thinking of a big cross-Europe trip through Sweden, Greece or Hungary and you haven't stayed in camper vans much before, then maybe try out a van here first. You'll quickly find out what your must-haves are and what you'll need to pack for longer trips. And you'll also figure out what size and type of van you might prefer too before you set off from say Denver. They have a one-way campervan rental option in the US too so you can cover more locations without having to double back. So if you rent your RV or campervan from San Francisco, you have the option to return it to Los Angeles or Seattle or Phoenix for example. Perfect packing (and keeping it sustainable) If travelling with one or more people it can be helpful to set up a shared checklist before you go — that way you don't end up with three bottles of cooking oil and realise too late that nobody brought a torch A packet of wet wipes A small bag of old tea-towels or cut up t-shirts — wipe surfaces and ditch these as you go A door mat or strong cardboard box you can flatten and use to wipe your feet before entering the van... you'll be glad of this if you park somewhere wet or a bit muddy A small box of loose change... for road tolls or for hairdryers in some campsite bathrooms Decant some washing-up liquid into a small bottle and bring a few sponges Pack a few toilet rolls in individual ziplock plastic bags — campsite toilets are generally well-stocked and clean but 'better to be looking at these than looking for them'. Bottled water. You can fill the tank in the van at most garages so that's handy for the kitchen sink and handwashing but fresher water is nicer for drinking. There's a 'take for free, leave for free' rack in the Roadsurfer depot where you can pick up or leave behind items such as salt and pepper or cleaning spray. Keeps the cost down and helps cut back on waste. The camper vans have an extra slot for AdBlue — this is a liquid that's added to diesel vehicles exhaust to help reduce harmful exhaust emissions (NOx). It turns harmful pollutants into harmless gases that do less damage to the environment. It's made up of special chemicals such as urea and water and is stored in a separate tank in your vehicle. Tip — buy it at the pump for a few euro rather than paying around €30 for a whole cannister that you won't fully use.
