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Open
CARBON CREDIT: Are the State’s climate offsets really green or plain greenwashing?
International
The State has shelled out €120 million in recent years for carbon credits to offset its failure to hit climate and renewable energy targets. But how green are these credits in reality?
7 Backers raised €145 of €3575
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Open
IN THE DOCK: Why are unauthorised developments on the Shannon going unchallenged?
Shannon River
There are dozens of unauthorised developments on the River Shannon and its lakes, including full blown commercial developments that lack proper planning permission.
1 Backer raised €20 of €4420
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Open
WILD NOT FREE: Is inaction on wildlife crime further threatening vulnerable species?
Ireland
Illegal hunting, poisoning and destruction of habitat: The future of Ireland’s wild animals and plants are at risk. Already, more than one in five protected species are threatened with extinction.
4 Backers raised €130 of €2630
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Funded
WATER WORKS: Is discharge from Ireland’s largest water treatment plant wrecking the Liffey?
Kildare
Our biggest drinking water treatment plant discharges wastewater into the Liffey at a point in Kildare where locals say flow is not strong enough to dilute the nutrient-dense material.
5 Backers raised €3770 of €3770
 Funded 
Open
BREATHING UNEASY: How exposed are children to pollution on the school run?
Dublin
Cars idling at school gates, heavy emissions from traffic at peak times: children in urban areas are facing toxic fumes as they make their way to school.
20 Backers raised €575 of €1440
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Open
PLAN BEE: Are we letting the native Irish honey bee die out?
Ireland
Ireland is one of the last countries in Europe to have a significant population of pure native honey bees - but it is at risk of extinction because of the importation of foreign bees.
13 Backers raised €420 of €1980
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Open
CAUTION TO THE WIND: Is renewable infrastructure on peatlands causing more harm than good?
Ireland
Wind energy is Ireland’s main renewable source but the location of farms on peatlands - a key carbon sink - is causing concern among scientists and nature groups.
23 Backers raised €1280 of €3785
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Open
DIGGING DEEP: Is Ireland being carved up for mineral exploration?
Ireland
Around 20% of the island of Ireland is licensed for mineral exploration, raising alarm with local communities about the impact of new mining operations.
10 Backers raised €215 of €3190
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Open
COST OF COLLECTION: Why do domestic waste services cost more in some areas of Ireland than others?
Ireland
Unlike many EU countries, Ireland’s waste disposal system is private.
2 Backers raised €40 of €2215
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Open
LINE OF FIRE: Why is burning in the uplands going unpunished?
Ireland
Burning in the uplands is banned between March and August yet every year illegal fires are started, causing widespread damage to nature and putting homes at risk.
47 Backers raised €1510 of €3970
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Open
GIVE WHEY: Are Irish dairy exports hurting African farming communities?
International
Milk powder made from whey, a byproduct of the dairy industry, is flooding African markets and taking the place of locally produced milk.
35 Backers raised €1153 of €3355
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Open
RECOVERY FILES: Are billions from Brussels being misspent?
International
At over €700 billion, the Covid recovery fund is the largest pot of money the EU has ever set up - but insufficient transparency and gaps in oversight were reported even before a penny was spent.
1 Backer raised €25 of €3020
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Completed
SHALL NOT PASS: Is the State supporting hydropower at the expense of the natural world?
Ireland
The diversion of water to hydropower stations, often combined with problematic or non-existing fish passes, can have considerable impacts on important fish populations, such as salmon.
59 Backers raised €2755 of €2730
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Completed
WITH GREAT POWER: Why is a Wexford power plant causing concern?
South East
An independent report alleges there was a ‘major issue’ with water quality monitoring near the Great Island Power Station operated by SSE.
1 Backer raised €500 of €500
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Open
BORN TO BE WILD: Who is profiting from the unregulated exotic animal trade?
International
In Ireland, you need a licence to own a dog or television but not to own an exotic animal such as a tiger or python. This lack of regulation has allowed this trade to flourish unabated, with potential serious impacts on the health and welfare of the animals sold.
6 Backers raised €115 of €2400
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Open
OVERSEAS IMPACT: Are Irish companies profiting at the expense of locals and ecosystems?
International
Environmental and human rights groups are concerned that direct and indirect actions of Irish companies abroad are impacting ecosystems and indigenous communities that depend on them.
15 Backers raised €350 of €3675
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Open
PIPE DREAM: Is rural development being delayed by poor water infrastructure?
Ireland
Government policy to encourage development of rural towns and villages is being hit by underinvestment in water supply and wastewater infrastructure that is now limiting housing and business growth.
15 Backers raised €440 of €2200
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Completed
HANDS ON DECK: Are migrant workers being exploited in the Irish fishing industry?
Ireland
Extremely long working hours with few breaks and very low wages are among the poor conditions that face migrant workers in the Irish fishing fleet.
5 Backers raised €200 of €200
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Open
SOIL INVADERS: Are invasive plants spreading out of control in Ireland?
Ireland
Invasive alien species represent one of the main threats to biodiversity and related ecosystem services - especially on islands, according to the European Commission.
25 Backers raised €487 of €2940
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Completed
OVER THE HILL: Can overgrazing on Ireland’s vulnerable habitats be stopped?
Ireland
Intensive grazing and overgrazing is impacting almost 40% of all EU protected habitats in Ireland and is by far the most prevalent agricultural pressure in these areas.
32 Backers raised €1660 of €1660
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Open
BOTTOMLESS PIT: Why are some quarries operating outside planning laws?
Ireland
There are a spate of rules and regulations in place to ensure that quarries operate within the bounds of national and European law.
19 Backers raised €700 of €4290
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Completed
LIGHTS OUT: Why are we facing an Irish electricity crisis?
Ireland
As we face the climate crisis, a key strand of the State’s strategy to reduce our emissions is to electrify our energy, heat and transport systems using renewables such as wind and solar.
302 Backers raised €3125 of €2830
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Open
FAST FASHION: Are we doing enough to tackle fashion’s throwaway culture in Ireland?
Ireland
Every year, the average Irish citizen generates 35kg of textile waste. These discarded clothes often end up in incinerators and landfills or being dumped abroad.
12 Backers raised €280 of €3140
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Completed
IN THE WEEDS: How toxic is our use of weedkillers at home and by public authorities?
Ireland
There is ample scientific evidence that herbicides used to kill weeds can cause long-term damage to pollinator insects. There are now emerging links to impacts on human health.
84 Backers raised €2420 of €2420
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Open
UP MANURE CREEK: What toll is slurry spreading taking on our health and nature?
Ireland
Slurry is a key fertiliser to boost grass and crop growth on farms, yet it also impacts air quality, heightens the risk of spreading antibiotic-resistance to humans, and can pollute waterways.
25 Backers raised €745 of €2310
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Open
UP IN SMOKE: What role does domestic wood burning play in Ireland’s air pollution problems?
Ireland
Each year, 1,300 people die prematurely due to air pollution from solid fuel burning, including wood. The practice has come under the spotlight for its role in poor air quality in our towns and villages.
10 Backers raised €285 of €2340
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Completed
BREAKING THE BANKS: Are Irish riverside habitats under threat from over-maintenance?
Ireland
Clearing of vegetation from waterways is a regular occurrence across the country as part of the mandated maintenance of over 11,500km of channels and 800km of embankments.
82 Backers raised €3130 of €3100
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Open
SOAKED UP: Why are river water abstraction rules so lax for big business?
Ireland
Lax State control over large volumes of water abstracted from our rivers, lakes and groundwater by private companies is putting pressure on nature and local water supplies for communities.
31 Backers raised €1008 of €2640
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Completed
FACTORY FARM: Are we prioritising profits over animal welfare and human health?
Ireland
The traditional image of the small Irish family farm is slowly slipping away with many farms growing more industrialised in response to ambitious production targets set by the State.
87 Backers raised €2730 of €2720
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Open
POSTCARDS OFFER: Give the gift of investigative journalism
Ireland
Have you enjoyed our award-winning reporting? This is your chance to share the gift of investigative journalism - and receive a set of limited edition Noteworthy postcards.
20 Backers raised €543 of €5000
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Completed
PITCH IMPERFECT: Are astroturf pitches bad for our green spaces?
Ireland
Concerns have been raised internationally over the potential environmental impacts from small microplastic fibres used as infill on artificial sports pitches - with estimates of between 60 and 120 tonnes of the material required for one pitch alone.
9 Backers raised €220 of €220
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Completed
TROUBLED WATERS: Are salmon fish farms harming our marine ecosystem?
Ireland
The fish farming industry is in a phase of rapid growth; it overtook global beef production in 2012.
43 Backers raised €2400 of €2400
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Completed
ENDANGERED SPECIES: Can Ireland halt the decline of its precious biodiversity?
Ireland
Ireland’s biodiversity is under threat. According to a 2019 report, 85% of our EU protected habitats are in an “unfavourable” condition and 46% are showing ongoing decline.
59 Backers raised €1800 of €1800
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Completed
PEAT'S SAKE: Why have authorities failed to tackle unlicensed industrial peat extraction?
Ireland
Protection of our peatlands has been described by experts as the low hanging fruit in tackling the dual climate and biodiversity crises.
76 Backers raised €2530 of €2530
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Completed
CASH COW: Are subsidies encouraging unsustainable farming practices?
Ireland
The farm has a big role to play in the fight against climate change, yet experts argue that it is difficult to shift to a nature-friendly model while subsidies favour intensive production.
48 Backers raised €1150 of €1150
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Completed
WASTE AWAY: Where do soft plastics in our recycling bin end up?
Ireland
Soft plastics can now be placed in Irish recycling bins following a change in policy in September 2021. But how much of this actually ends up being recycled on our island?
54 Backers raised €1180 of €1180
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Completed
SHEAR FORCE: Why are hedgerows still being cut during the prohibited season?
Ireland
Every summer, social media streams are inundated with photos of roadside hedges decimated across the country even though it is illegal to cut them from 1 March to 31 August.
54 Backers raised €1655 of €1630
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Completed
FUELLING RETIREMENT: Are Irish pensions contributing to the climate crisis?
Ireland
In 2019, Ireland became one of the first countries in the world to divest its investment fund away from companies that make substantial profit from fossil fuels. However, the majority of private Irish pension funds still include companies involved in oil and gas exploration, extraction and refinement.
46 Backers raised €1240 of €1240
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Completed
BANKS OF THE LEE: What is going to stop flooding in Cork city?
Cork
The Lee in Cork city has burst its banks on numerous occasions in the past and with sea levels set to rise due to climate change, concern is increasing about the need for better flood protection for its businesses and residents.
29 Backers raised €2900 of €2900
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Completed
NET LOSS: Is Ireland killing its own fishing industry... by overfishing?
Ireland
Declining fish stock is one the major challenges to the Irish fishing industry. One of Ireland’s most important fisheries, Celtic Sea herring, was closed last year just 48 hours after the seasonal fishery opened due to the small size of fish caught. Reduced levels of these fish also have an impact on animals who depend on them such as whales and dolphins.
16 Backers raised €1950 of €1950
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Completed
SPRUCED UP: Are coniferous trees killing our native ecosystem?
Ireland
A Government plan to plant almost 400 million trees by 2046 was announced as part of the Climate Action Plan in the past few months. There is a target of 70% conifers and 30% broadleaf for these new plantations which has led to some biodiversity advocates being concerned about the continued afforestation of Ireland by non-native conifers.
54 Backers raised €1950 of €1950
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Completed
COST OF CARBON: Are companies paying their fair share on emissions?
Ireland
Ireland is exceeding its greenhouse gas emissions targets by millions of tonnes per year. It has been warned that it is not doing enough, quickly enough, to reduce that excess.
74 Backers raised €2050 of €2050
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Completed
SOLVING SOLAR: Why are we not putting solar panels on the roof of every home in Ireland?
Ireland
Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels use energy from the sun to create electricity. The price of these panels has dropped significantly over the past number of decades, so what is stopping households from installing them?
16 Backers raised €760 of €750
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Completed
DEAD END: Will Galway’s long promised ring road make a significant difference to traffic congestion in the city?
Galway
It was 1999 when a bypass was first proposed for the city of Galway. Since then, traffic congestion has grown ever worse and long delays have become a feature of daily life for those who live and work there. For a relatively compact city, congestion is far worse than might be expected, not least because public transport options are so limited.
39 Backers raised €1200 of €1200
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Completed
LYING IDLE: How many state properties are lying vacant around the country.
Ireland
The Office of Public Works manages over 2,500 properties around Ireland on behalf of the state.
9 Backers raised €360 of €350
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Completed
SEPTIC SWIM: Is enough being done to keep Dublin Bay safe for swimmers this summer?
Dublin
Effluent leaks have resulted in pollution incidents along the eastern coastline at least twice so far this year - and bathing restrictions were put in place at popular Dublin beaches.
2 Backers raised €400 of €400
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Completed
CUT DOWN TO SIZE: Why are Ireland's local authorities so keen to chop down trees?
Ireland
Across Ireland, locals have been dismayed to see trees and bushes chopped down by public bodies.
47 Backers raised €1100 of €1100
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Completed
NOT SO FAST: Strategic Housing Development speeds up planning process for developers but is it helping increase the supply of accommodation?
Ireland
In June 2017, Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy introduced a new system of fast-track planning for housing developments.
2 Backers raised €404 of €400
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