Dublin 15 Environment Group

22^nd October 2006

MEETING INVITATION REQUEST

TOPIC: ‘establish a steering committee between interested ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS IN THE FINGAL COUNTY’

DATE: TUESDAY 7^TH OF NOVEMBER

TIME: 7PM- 9PM

VENUE: County Hall Swords, ROOM 2A2

We, the ‘Dublin 15 Environment Group’ would like to invite you to join us in our endeavours to establish a wide network of environmental groups in the Fingal area, thereby facilitating a more cohesive and concrete ‘voice’ in the county on common environmental issues.

We are inviting groups, such as yourselves, that have much to bring to the table on the issue of the environment. By sharing those issues that concern you most as a group and pooling all our ideas together it is hoped that we will have a much more powerful voice/consensus on Fingal environmental concerns.

On a practical level two initial meetings have been scheduled, the first being the 7^th of November as detailed in this invitation.

The aim of both meetings is to establish a steering committee between interested parties so that we can then at a later date organise a wider seminar in the Fingal area, the advantage being that representation will be drawn from this wider steering committee / network, rather than the voices from a single environmental group.

Of course it is vital to give you some background on ‘who we are’ and ‘what events have led up to this invitation letter’ so that you will then be able to establish whether this invitation is of interest to you and your group members.

Who are we?

The Dublin 15 Environment Group was established in March 2003 in the Blanchardstown area, being established as a joint venture between the Corduff Community Development Project and the Fingal Volunteer Bureau.

The group’s primary objective was to ‘raise public awareness of environmental issues in the Dublin 15 area’, both within the community and where possible business and agencies alike. In addition to its founding members, the group is now made up of volunteers from diverse disciplines, however all are equipped with a wide experience and expertise in the area of the environment and a common passion for the environment.

What have we done?

To date, we have implemented a range of initiatives ranging from ‘composting, bonsai and hanging basket workshops’, to seminars on topics such as ‘sustainable energy’.

All initiatives have been selected to engage the local Dublin 15 residents with the aim to best encourage appreciation of the environment, equally raising people’s awareness and where possible empower them to make a difference in their own home and community.

Why our current focus of a wider networking initiative?

We were recently approached by Fingal County Council to see if we might expand our endeavours and assist in establishing a wider network of environmental groups in the Fingal area.

Why are we interested?

By establishing a wide network of environmental groups in the Fingal area, we all interested parties can become part of the County Forum. As the County Forum has its representation through the Strategic Policy Committees onto the County Development Board, this is where we can all have a voice at the table on environmental issues that effect us both locally and globally.

The key positive for us being that it’s at this County Development Board level that we can truly effect grass roots change on policy and issues related to the environment.

It is to this end, that we are cordially inviting you to our evening meeting in Swords County Hall, we would truly value your presence and active participation at this meeting.

Should you have any questions regarding anything in this letter please do not hesitate to contact me, Monica Shannon, on 8219021/8219750 or alternatively at 087/9304535, or email the group at dublin15environmentgroup@yahoo.ie. We would greatly appreciate it if you could also let us know if you will be able to attend.

Yours faithfully,

Monica Shannon on behalf of the Dublin 15 Environment Group