Latest news with #SinéadO'Brien
Agriland
6 days ago
- Politics
- Agriland
Concern that gov proposal lowers protection for rivers and lakes
The Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) and the Rivers Trust are raising the alarm over a government plan that would make it easier to damage hundreds of rivers, lakes, and coastal waters across the country. According to the groups, under the proposed plan protections for 466 stretches of water would be weakened by labelling them 'heavily modified water bodies'. The groups believe the label is a 'technical term' that, in practice, means they would no longer have to meet the same high standards for environmental health as other rivers and lakes. They claim this gives the green light for widespread dredging, digging, and clearance works that harm rivers, riverbanks and other wildlife habitats such as salmon pools. Both SWAN and the Rivers Trust claim that the changes would affect 10% of Ireland's waters. Rivers SWAN CEO, Sinéad O'Brien believes that the proposal is 'reckless' and that it shows 'disregard for the public'. She said: 'The government's plan to lower protections for one in 10 of our rivers, lakes, and coastal waters, without evidence or proper explanation, shows disregard for the public. 'People could be forgiven for thinking this is just a way to make our poor water quality stats look better on paper. But it's out of step with EU rules and puts wildlife like kingfishers, otters and trout at risk.' 'This must be stopped until proper assessments of possible restoration measures and of all alternative options are carried out,' she explained. The plan is part of a formal government consultation, but SWAN and the Rivers Trust say the process has been confusing, inaccessible, and difficult for communities to engage with. Both organisations are calling for the current consultation to be redesigned and reopened later when the 'required analysis' has been done, and as part of the development of the 4th Water Action Plan. The deputy director of the Rivers Trust, Dr. Constanze O'Toole said: 'The Rivers Trust has come together with SWAN because we share deep concerns about the lack of transparency and accessibility in this consultation process.' 'Environmental decisions must be based on clear data and local knowledge. Labelling rivers as 'heavily modified' has long-term consequences, so people deserve to see the evidence and understand the impact.' 'If we want strong, fair decisions about our rivers, we need open access to the facts, easier-to-understand consultations, and a real say for local communities in what happens to their water,' she added.
The Guardian
11-03-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
South Australia expands donor conception rights with new transparency laws
The South Australian government is giving donor-conceived adults access to their genetic heritage information through a donor conception register (DCR). SA Health says it is the first government agency in Australia to offer a publicly accessible online DCR, and the second to allow donor-conceived people to access information about their genetic heritage retrospectively. The changes to assisted reproductive treatment (ART) laws allow people to access information dating back to the 1970s, where that information is available and can be verified. The new laws balance the privacy of people who have donated sperm, eggs or embryos with the rights of donor-conceived people to access their genetic heritage information for their health and wellbeing, SA Health says. 'We recognise how important it is for all donor-conceived people to have access to information about their genetic heritage,' says Sinéad O'Brien, the deputy chief executive, strategy and governance, at the Department for Health and Wellbeing in South Australia. 'It can play a significant role in the development of a person's identity and self-esteem, but it can also enable them to access important medical and genetic information for things like family planning.' The ability to trace genetic heritage can be valuable for medical reasons, as it allows donor-conceived people to better understand their genetic predispositions to certain conditions. This information can help guide health decisions, including whether to undergo screening for hereditary illnesses. Australia's donor conception community, fertility clinics and stakeholders were consulted before the law changed. The final consultation report found that almost 70% of respondents supported or partially supported the proposed changes. SA Health says this shows community views have shifted since the ART Act was proclaimed in 1988 and ART regulations came into being in 2010, and that the health and wellbeing of donor-conceived people must be better supported. The consultation process, which involved direct engagement with donor-conceived people, parents, donors and experts in the field of reproductive medicine, enabled lawmakers to develop principles that provide a safe and respectful way for people to access information, O'Brien says. The changes reflect a shift away from the historical culture of secrecy surrounding donor conception, O'Brien says. 'We hope the DCR will help to further normalise donor conception in our community and encourage more openness and acceptance.' The DCR does not offer DNA testing and is not searchable, but ensures that available verified information is pre-linked for users to find information about their connections in accordance with the law. The Government proclaimed the changed Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 1988 and the Assisted Reproductive Treatment (ART) Regulations 2024 on 28 November 2024. The changed laws, which regulate what information is held on the DCR and who may access it, became operational on 26 February 2025. Information is available only to individuals linked to a donor conception treatment in South Australia. This includes donor-conceived people aged 18 or over, donors who have contributed gametes (sperm or eggs) or embryos for use in South Australia, and parents of donor-conceived children born through ART treatment in the state. With these legislative changes, South Australia joins a small number of jurisdictions worldwide that provide retrospective access to donor conception information, where it is available. While some donors may have donated under the expectation of anonymity, the shift in legislation acknowledges that access to genetic heritage is increasingly seen as a fundamental right, and enables donor-conceived people to make informed decisions about their health, SA Health says. Learn more about changes to donor conception laws or access the DCR.
